


Inevitable

by LadyOmbra (LadyLuce)



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Abuse, Angst, BDSM, Humiliation, M/M, Male Solo, Oral Sex, Sexual Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-14
Updated: 2014-02-11
Packaged: 2018-01-04 14:05:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 36,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1081894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLuce/pseuds/LadyOmbra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had been growing since Fortuna and finally became unbearable, Dante and Nero's attraction was inevitable as was the consequent fallout afterwards, but resent and longing are just the tip of the iceberg.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter I

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on AFFN. A PWP which became a multi-chaptered fic and threatened to form a plot, but mostly just smut. I am hoping to keep this as a master copy and edit accordingly (AFF likes to delete my accounts!) Still unfinished so any comments on what you'd like to see would help me get the creative juices flowing.

Chapter I:    

            He supposed it could have been called love at first sight. It had been more or less really, as soon as he had crossed blades with the mysterious man in red. The blood smeared across his chiselled features gave him a sinister expression and Dante would have laughed if Nero told him that in hindsight he found the blood to be a turn on. Nero supposed it was his newly awakened demonic side reacting to something so carnal and visceral. He noticed it now as he watched the older man fight with a power so fierce it was like staring into the eye of a storm. Despite that raw strength Nero knew Dante held a surprising amount of grace; he’d seen it when he fought him. The way he dived out of the way and bounced off walls with the skill of an acrobat… the son of Sparda was most certainly an interesting creature. Nero could barely draw his eyes away from the sculpted muscles; Dante’s tight leather outfit hid nothing from wandering eyes. Nero was certain that the older man  _wanted_  to be ogled as he went about his business…

            “Hey kid heads up!”

            Nero’s head snapped round a second too late and a chunk of rock the size of his clenched fist slammed into his forehead.

            Dante rolled his eyes as Nero collapsed like a sack of grain. Nero was one of the better demon hunters Dante had come up against – Lady would gut him if he admitted Nero was the best – but the kid seemed to have a minor problem with keeping his head. He ran into situations far too fast ignoring his instincts even after six long months of possessing demonic power. He also seemed to have a severe problem with concentration. Well, he  _was_  concentrating… just not on the demons…

            He threw Rebellion out like a boomerang with ease, had already turned his back on the demon he’d been fighting, hearing a satisfying  _thunk_  as it fell to the concrete. He caught the sword a second later and replaced it on his back. He reached Nero and nudged the kid in the side with his booted foot. The boy was out cold – unsurprising really, he wasn’t superman after all, no matter how much he thought he was.

            Sighing Dante heaved Nero up and positioned the boy’s weight over his broad shoulder. He smirked at the idea of Nero waking up in such a position with Dante’s hand on his ass – to keep him from slipping of course. Luckily for Nero – and Dante too as he didn’t doubt the boy would be angry with him for some unknown reason – he made it back to Devil May Cry without so much as a peep from the kid. It worried him slightly as he dumped Nero on the sofa, seeing the blood still gushing profusely from the wound. He knew Nero wasn’t as demonic as he was, but heck a human could probably heal better than this.

            Dante decided he needed to get to the route of the problem and after wiping some of the blood from Nero’s face he got to work. He easily removed Nero’s jacket, holsters and belts came with it and frowned at the crimson stain leaking through Nero’s vest just above and to the left of his heart. Well that was more than likely the source of the problem and it required immediate attention. Dante didn’t hesitate – it wasn’t like he was doing this for his own benefit of anything – in stripping the kid of his vest and under-shirt until the pearly skin of his chest came into view.

            Now he could clearly see the misleadingly small bite mart which had punctured Nero’s flesh. The blood had a dark tinge to it and Dante could put two and two together in a flash. Poison. Nero – the idiot that he was – had  _let_  something infect him whilst he was too preoccupied to notice. It figured really… he thought he’d seen the kid take a hit. The demons they’d been hunting had a nasty habit of spraying out a barrage of infected thorns. Nero, in his ignorance, had probably just plucked the thorn from the wound not even registering that the slight ache was still there. That was really the mastery behind the minimal attack. The poison got to work without its victim knowing and then when they received a severe blow it made them far less likely to recover.

            “You’re an idiot you know that,” Dante hissed to Nero’s unconscious form running a hand through his hair.  _Only one thing for it then…_

            He slipped off his own jacket first – it was bloodstained and getting in the way on the small couch, that was all – and leaned down over Nero’s chest, holding himself above the boy with one hand the other pulling the flesh around the wound taught. He had the stupid urge to wake the boy up in a rather rude manner - see how hard he had to pinch the kid’s rosy nipple before he woke up – but decided against it before instinct could take control. For one Nero would kill him – or at least try to – then finally this was the only way to remove the poison and Nero would never consent to it if he was awake.

            So Dante continued with his task in a professional manner, pulling the skin and leaning down to suck gently on the wound. Viscid blood stained his lips and spilled onto his tongue. It awakened something carnal inside of him, the position he was in, straddling the supine form didn’t help either.

            He had to remember not to swallow. As soon as the copper faded to a far more sickly taste he pulled himself away, with more difficulty than he would have liked, and spat the blood onto the floor. Not the most cleanly thing to do, he’d worry about that later. He took a breath then went back to his task, running his tongue across the wound, sucking more blood into his mouth. He was about to raise his head and spit again when the chest beneath him arched into his mouth. Nero gasped and hands knotted themselves in Dante’s hair keeping him pinned against the flesh beneath his lips.

            It took Nero a second to take everything in, staring at the ceiling and the familiar fan swinging round above his head.

            “Dante?” Nero hissed, sucked in a breath then realized that the demon hunter had been… licking his chest? “What in hell do you think you’re doing?”

            “Mmmff,” Dante’s reply was halted by the blood in his mouth and the skin pressed against his lips. Nero finally had the sense to let go of the man’s hair. Dante pulled himself away, spat on the floor with a disgusted look on his face.

            “Ugh geez that stuff is fowl, what were you trying to do suffocate me?” Dante growled, sitting back and surveying the kid’s shocked expression. It quickly turned to one of anger as he watched.

            “What was  _I_  trying to do?!” Nero said in an uncharacteristic screech. “You’re the one  _on top of me_!”

            “Hey calm down,” Dante warned, but he could see it was getting him no where. Nero’s Devil Bringer had gone haywire, his anger fueling his demonic side and the blue light flaring to an intensity which would have burned Dante’s eyes if he looked at it full on. He was prepared for the punch and ducked out of the way, grabbing the Devil Bringer and Nero’s human arm on the rebound, pinning his wrists against the arm of the sofa. “Easy kid I’m not trying to rape you alright?”

            Nero’s face coloured a bright pink and he turned away a little feeling his bare back and arms pressed hard into the cool leather couch beneath him. Dante was straddling his hips, leaning right over him in order to keep his weight on the boy’s arms. His jacket had been discarded at some point, now he only wore a tight black shirt which clung to the man’s muscled chest and shoulders like a second skin. Nero’s eyes widened as he saw the blood which stained the man’s lips and painted the very tips of his snow white hair. A dribble of the bright liquid ran from the corner of Dante’s mouth, across the ridge of his angular chin and slipped down the pale column of his throat. Nero had the sudden stupid urge to lean up and lick the blood away, trail his tongue up Dante’s neck, over the prominent adam’s apple and then lick it from the bow of his full lips. Thankfully for Nero, Dante had a good grip on his arms and stopped him from doing anything he might regret later.

            “Did you bite me?” Nero asked incredulously trying to pull out of Dante’s grasp, craning his head to get a look at the wound on his chest.

            “No,” Dante grinned down on the boy below him. Nero looked oh so vulnerable there, twisting in his inhuman grip, his muscles tensing and straining beneath his flesh as he tried to free himself. “You were poisoned, I did what any friend would do and tried to suck it out and this is the thanks I get.”

            Nero glared at Dante disbelievingly. “Let me go then, I can look after myself fine.”

            “Yeah, sure,” Dante nodded, rolled his eyes. “That thing would have killed you if I wasn’t there.”

             _It’s your fault I was distracted in the first place._  Nero scowled, defeated and stared up into the demon hunter’s face. It was a hard task; Dante’s eyes were bright and captivating, they held something just beneath the surface, some overwhelming power which Nero could never hope to understand.

            “Nothing to say?” Dante asked feigning surprise. “No angry retorts? Maybe it’s because you know the only reason that thing managed to get the better of you was because you seem to have developed a fixation with my ass.”

            “I… what?” Nero’s expression went blank, then the blush rose higher in his cheeks, darkened a shade. “I  _wasn’t-_ ”

            “Ah it’s okay kid, I’m perfectly happy with guy’s who swing that way, shame on poor Kyrie though, turning people gay does very little for a girl’s self-esteem,” Dante joked, loving the rage he could feel boiling inside the body pinned below him, the sudden surge of power as the Devil Bringer flared a bright blue.

            “ _I’m not gay!_ ” Nero protested, writhing to get free, bucking his hips and kicking, his arms were still pinned, even with the strength of the devil bringer over-powering Dante proved to be impossible. Dante gritted his teeth and steeled himself, he didn’t  _want_  to take advantage of Nero, or his helplessness – the poison would make him weaker for a while – but with the boy’s body squirming under him, his hips rolling beneath Dante’s it was getting hard to suppress his instincts.

            “Well then,” Dante leaned in a little closer grinning at Nero’s startled expression. “Does this make you feel uncomfortable?” He asked in a husky whisper.

            Nero forced his face into impassiveness, tilted his head away from Dante refusing to look at him. Dante’s heavy breathing grazed the skin of his neck; he tried to suppress the shudder running down his spine answered nonchalantly; “Why would it?”

            Dante’s lips pulled into a wolfish grin, he leaned in even closer until his lips hovered centimeters away from Nero’s until he could hear the boy’s pulse pounding in his veins. “How about now?” he whispered into Nero’s mouth, watching as the kid’s eyes slid shut waiting for Dante’s soft lips to close over his own.

            Dante lingered there for a second, staring at Nero through half lidded eyes. His full lips parted slightly, breathing shallow, head tilted back in submission, his long lashes closed against pale skin. Dante could close the distance quite easily; Nero wasn’t going to push him away, at least not for the moment maybe he’d kill him for it later, but Dante knew he wanted this. The little pervert had the audacity to say he wasn’t gay when Dante knew the kid had been mentally undressing him nearly the whole time they’d been out on the hunt. He saw how Nero watched him in the office too when Dante was relaxing at his desk or draped across the sofa. Nero had only been here three days of his weeks’ trip and Dante had caught the boy checking him out far too many times to keep count of. In fact if Dante didn’t ask for the attention he’d feel abused.

            Instead of leaning forwards to capture those lips he let his own quirk into a grin and pulled away, finally letting go of Nero’s arms and sitting back. “Well I’d say that was pretty conclusive evidence.”

            Nero’s eyes snapped open and widened at the sound of the sudden movement and then the man’s voice. Dante winked and began to rise from the sofa when Nero caught his wrist with the Devil Bringer.

            “What?” Nero was staring at him with a mixture of confusion and humiliation. “You… you tricked me…”

            “Hey you’re not gay right so there’s no harm done,” Dante teased earning a growl from the boy below him as Nero’s grip on his wrist tightened. “Look, kid if there’s something you-”

            Dante’s words were cut off as Nero dragged him down onto the couch with a hard tug. The older man fell on top of Nero and the boy tangled his clawed hand in Dante’s hair yanking on the silver tresses and crushing Dante’s lips to his. Dante couldn’t help the smile creeping across his lips as Nero attempted to dominate his mouth, tongue sparring with its partner as their lips melded together. He’d never have expected Nero to be so forceful; he’d quite expected him to drop the conversation with his own humiliation. Storm out in a huff, have a drink somewhere and come back in an even fouler mood. This was quite the welcome development. He relented eventually and let Nero take control of the kiss, exploring the older man’s mouth with his persistent tongue. Dante wanted to see how far the boy would go under his own steam.

            Nero’s free hand snaked around the man on top of him, found its way under the tight shirt and traced the line of Dante’s spine with his fingernails. This earned a growl and a moan from the man above him as Dante’s back arched away from the electric sensation now coursing up his spine. The movement forced their bodies closer, making it impossible to hide their growing arousal.

            Nero moaned into Dante’s mouth as the older man ground his hips against his, the hand on his back moving lower to grip Dante’s ass and press the man’s body ever closer to his own.

            When they finally broke for air both were panting, the blood on Dante’s mouth had smeared across Nero’s lips, his cheeks were pink from exertion and his eyes were half lidded with lust. Dante couldn’t help himself from taking over, leaning in to run a trail of kisses down the pale column of Nero’s throat, nipping at the join of his neck and shoulder until a bruise flowered under his mouth. It would heal sooner than Dante would have liked. He carried on his downward journey, trailing saliva across Nero’s chest, stopping to suck a pert nipple into his mouth. Nero growled and tried to catch Dante’s hair again, but the older man quickly slipped away, heading downwards, dipping his tongue into Nero’s navel before finally pulling back to survey his victim. Nero was watching him closely through lowered eyelids, quivering with anticipation.

            Dante grinned and popped the button on the boy’s trousers with ease, pulling the zip down slowly and teasingly freeing Nero’s straining erection from the confines of his pants. The boy obviously didn’t feel the need for underwear – that was something he and Dante had in common. Dante wrapped a gloved hand around the boy’s arousal, gave him a few firm strokes, slicking Nero’s cock with precum and watching as the kid bit his lip, threw his head back and writhed on the leather couch. It was beautiful, he was beautiful and the small whimpers and moans the boy was making were music to his ears. Dante hauled himself up a second to slide the boy’s trousers from his slim hips before he could make any complaints. Nero’s boots came off and left him naked on the couch.

            Nero shivered, but remained still waiting for what was to come. Dante smiled at the expectant and somewhat worried expression. He slid down the couch and spread Nero’s legs until he could settle comfortably – something which was hard on the small couch – between them. He trailed his fingers down Nero’s quaking chest, stroked gently, teasingly up the boy’s straining length.

            “If you’re not gay then I suppose this reaction is for some completely unrelated reason?” Dante grinned quirking an eyebrow.

            Nero growled a hollow “shut up.” He was too far gone to care about the other man’s teasing.

            “I guess Kyrie’s too proper to do this for you huh?” Dante asked wondering how far he could push the boy. “That’s the thing about women, they never do understand…”

            “Just get on with it,” Nero ground out, pulling himself onto his elbows and grabbing Dante’s hair with the Devil Bringer.

            Dante hissed as the boy yanked on his white tresses. “Feisty aren’t we?”

            Nero simply pulled harder and Dante relented, running a teasing lick up the pulsing vein on the underside of Nero’s cock eyes fixed on the boy’s face for his reaction. A sigh burst from Nero’s lips as Dante reached the head, let his tongue circle the dripping crown and finally took Nero’s length into his mouth. He worked his way slowly down to the base, relaxing his muscles and taking the boy in to the back of his throat.

            “Oh god,” Nero moaned low in his throat, his face flushed, hands tightening in Dante’s hair as he rested against the arm of the sofa. He was too lost to wonder how Dante knew how to do this so well. All he knew was the warmth of the cavern of the man’s mouth, and the probing tongue which was slowly driving him mad. His head fell back, eyes closed and his lips parted with shallow breaths as Dante massaged his cock with his tongue.

            Dante rolled his tongue over Nero’s shaft, bobbing his head back down until Nero hit the back of his throat. The kid wasn’t exactly small and Dante had to check his own reactions when his gag reflex tried to kick in, throat constricting around the head of the boy’s cock. He chuckled as a helpless whimper slipped past Nero’s lips, the vibrations traveling right to the boy’s straining lenght.

            “Dante…” Nero was tugging on Dante’s hair, the feeling was intoxicating, he didn’t know whether he wanted the man to stop or continue, but he could feel himself reaching his peak far too fast and he didn’t want it to end so soon.

            “Dante…” Nero hissed again his hips bucking into Dante’s mouth until the older man rested his hands on Nero’s slim hips to stop him from choking him. “I-I I want-” Nero’s voice broke off into a loud, desperate moan as Dante’s skilled mouth traveled back up his cock, tongue swirling around the head before dipping into the weeping slit. Nero yanked violently on his hair, back arching as he suppressed the urge to come. Not yet, he didn’t want it to end yet.

            Dante noticed the kid’s desperation and pinched his fore-finger and thumb around the base of the boy’s cock pulling away and letting Nero’s precum dribble across his lips. He slid back up until his head was level with Nero’s.

            “You want a taste?” He hissed kissing the boy violently, letting the cum on his lips taint Nero’s tongue and then bit into his lips until blood filled their mouths. Nero let his eyes slide closed, lost in the delirium as he slowly fell back from the brink of his oncoming orgasm. He was submissive this time as the man’s wicked tongue explored the cavern of his mouth.

            When Dante finally pulled away he stared into the boy’s eyes, pupils impossibly huge with unfulfilled lust. He looked beautiful like that, so vulnerable and supine; a trail of saliva and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he gasped for air, waiting, begging for his release.

            The devil hunter felt his pants now painfully tight around the throbbing erection tenting the tough leather; he rubbed his clothed erection against Nero’s thigh eyes rolling a little as he pulled his gloves off with his teeth. He tossed the garments aside, saw the kid’s eyes widen slightly at the contact and let the thrusts into the boy’s hip still.

            Dante trailed a finger down the boy’s chest, circled an erect nipple. “What do you want?”

            Nero didn’t reply, he didn’t think he could force his vocal chords to work. The older man’s hand slid back up his chest, over tense muscles, his quaking Adam’s apple. He cupped the boy’s chin with his hand, brushed the pad of his thumb across the slightly parted lips before pressing it inside the boy’s mouth. Nero’s immediate reaction was to suck the digit into his mouth greedily accepting a pair of finger when they replaced his thumb. Dante smiled wickedly pushing one of the kid’s legs up, draping it over his broad shoulder. He let Nero suck on his fingers a moment longer before letting his hand drop down, past the boy’s straining erection and lower.

            When Dante’s moist digits pressed against the puckered hole Nero yelped and nearly pulled away from the sensation as Dante circled the tight ring of muscle testing the tense opening.

            “Relax,” the older man cooed knowing that even with preparation this would be difficult. “This will feel good in no time.”

            Dante waited, teasing the boy’s opening until Nero relaxed back into the sofa a little, distracted by the new sensation. It wasn’t completely unpleasant, it sent shivers up his spine and he felt his legs moving apart of their own accord – at least the one which wasn’t slung over Dante’s shoulder.

            When Dante finally felt Nero was ready he slipped a fine boned finger inside his tight ass. The boy gasped and tensed up immediately, hand shooting down to catch Dante’s wrist before he could push inside any further. He let out a strangled sound eyes now completely clear and staring into Dante’s with a mixture of horror and apprehension.

            “No,” he tried to sound firm, it sounded like begging instead.

            “It’s alright,” Dante tried for a reassuring smile, he’s dealt with plenty of panicky virgins in his time, he hadn’t quite expected it from Nero. He knew the kid wasn’t  _scared_  it was more likely that he had finally realized what was happening and the seriousness of the situation. Dante was pretty certain Nero was a masochist anyway, he knew the kid had a thing about blood, he’d caught him contemplating both Dante’s and his own wounds one too many times. “Come on kid there’s no use fighting it.”

            “Don’t call me that,” Nero ground out his grip on Dante’s wrist tightening. “How can you call me that when you’re doing…  _this_  to me.”

            “I know it winds you up,” Dante’s smile turned devious, his eyes flashing. “And you’re cute when you’re mad.”

            Nero growled and shuddered as Dante’s wrist twisted slightly despite the hold he had on it. His previous arousal was sliding away; Dante’s finger in his ass hurt more than he wanted to admit. His eyes traveled down to the bulge in the older man’s pants and he couldn’t help the way his breath caught in his throat. He didn’t know how he’d gotten himself into this position in the first place doing exactly what Dante wanted him to. It all felt so  _wrong_  and so desperately good at the same time.

            “Trust me,” Dante said and his voice sounded genuine. So genuine that Nero let his eyes slide shut and slowed his breathing, forcing himself to relax his hand sliding from the older man’s wrist. He waited for Dante to continue and when he didn’t Nero cracked an eye open in annoyance.

            “What are you waiting for?” Nero asked crossly. When he finally backed down and let Dante have his way, when he was finally  _waiting_  for it nothing happened. He knew Dante wanted to hear him ask for it, if the older man had his way Nero had no doubt that he’d be begging like a whore. Of course he was above that… and he hadn’t been begging before either, vocally or suggestively, he was still in control. “Dante what-ah-ah!”

            That mouth had closed around his shaft again, hot and wet and Nero arched into it moaning incoherently. He barely noticed as that finger worked inside him again, it didn’t even hurt when a second slid inside the tight entrance, probing and stretching. His fingers pushed in up to the third knuckle, curled inside the tight heat searching for something…

            “Oh god,” Nero mouthed unable to form words as he writhed on the couch. His hips slammed down on the invading digits caught between the double stimulation of those probing fingers and Dante’s wicked mouth. The elder man continued to stimulate the bundle of nerves inside him mercilessly until Nero was gasping for air moaning his name.

            Nero couldn’t force himself to find coherent thought. His ass clenched around the fingers inside him, but it wasn’t enough, he wanted  _needed_  something bigger… “Dante… please…”

            Dante slid up Nero’s cock with a long slow lick, pulled away and watched the boy through half lidded eyes. “What do you want?”

            “I want,” Nero gasped, wrapped his clawed hand in Dante’s hair, pulled him down for a brutal kiss. His other hand slid between their two bodies, clawing at the button and zipper of Dante’s pants until he nearly ripped the clothes in his haste. Nero yanked Dante’s head away sharply, licked at his lips and wrapped his free leg around Dante’s waist. “I _need…_  you inside me  _now_.”

           Dante grinned, more than happy to oblige, pushing Nero’s hand away to finish the job of unbuttoning his pants. Nero slung his free hand across the elder man’s back, pushing the tight black shirt up and running his hands under the material feeling the rippling muscles as they tensed and flexed beneath glistening flesh. Dante growled as he pulled his hard erection free of his pants, giving it a few hard tugs for good measure.

            He leaned down to capture the boy’s lips in a comforting kiss, the head of his cock pressing against Nero’s tight asshole. He paused a second resisting the urge to slam into the willing body below him then slowly pushed the head of his arousal past the tight ring of muscle. Despite the preparation it still hurt, Nero tensed up as the pulsing length invaded him, cried into the kiss eyes screwing tight shut. His hands clawed at Dante’s back, pulled painfully at his pale tresses. Dante tried to comfort the boy with slow kisses and caresses. He’d been with enough panicky virgins to know how to look after them, but Nero was different, Nero wasn’t  _supposed_  to shake and scream, clinging onto Dante with such _desperation_.

            Finally buried to the hilt inside the boy Dante groaned low in his throat, allowing Nero a moment to adjust to his size. He couldn’t hold himself for long though, with the tight walls clenching around his cock and the wanton body writhing beneath him. Nero tore his mouth away to gasp for breath as Dante pulled out slowly then slammed back in a little harder than he intended. The boy had to bite his lip to stop himself from screaming, he was too big, Dante was far too big, but a pleasurable pain was seeping into his every nerve.

            The next thrust sent electricity coursing up his spine and Nero felt his flagging erection harden again. Dante drew out all the way, slammed back in. This time the sharp entry was met with a sudden thrust of Nero’s pelvis as his body arched to swallow the cock deeper inside him growling at the rough pace. Dante moaned into the clammy skin of Nero’s neck his balls slapping against Nero’s ass as he thrust into the tight hole.

            “Aah god Dante!” Nero screamed as the head of Dante’s swollen cock found that spot inside him. Dante adjusted the angle of his thrusts to ensure he hit that sweet spot every time pounding into it with full force. Nero threw his head back, eyes wide moaning breathless cries into the room.

            Dante gripped the boy’s hips firmly with both hands, pulled his ass further into his lap growling as he impaled the boy on his thick cock. He wasn’t going to last much longer, not with the tight walls of muscle twitching around his member and the sweet sounds the kid was making below him. Nero was twisting languidly on the sticky leather, his head tossing from side to side, trying to fight back the inevitable. Dante gripped Nero’s cock in one hand, fisted it hard in time to his own deep thrusts inside the boy.

            “Oh god oh god,” Nero’s breathy pleas were lost in a sharp cry as he came, his body tensing for a second before reaching breaking point. He climaxed across his chest and Dante’s hand streams of hot semen spraying across his pale flesh. Nero’s inner muscles spasmed, massaging the cock between the tight walls of muscle, milking it until Dante came with a loud scream. He gripped the boy’s hips with a bruising force shooting his seed inside the body below him, painting the boy’s inner walls white as he continued to thrust into him, riding his orgasm through.

            Dante collapses bonelessly on top of the boy moments later, limbs entwined, both still shaking and twitching from the after shocks of their orgasm. Instinctively Dante wrapped his arms around the boy, shifting them into a more comfortable position and pressing butterfly kisses into the kid’s hair line. Nero had slipped into a comfortable numbness, his muscles throbbing with a strange kind of delicious heat his head coming to rest in the crook of the demon slayer’s neck.

            Both lay there sated and sticky, neither having the energy to move nor really wanting to. Nero had slipped into his own delirium long ago, clinging tightly to the warm body next to him when Dante finally let his own coherence drift from him succumbing to the inevitability of sleep.


	2. Chapter II

Chapter II 

Dante smiled feeling the warm body shift against his, Nero had rolled against him, a leg slung across Dante’s bare hips, an arm around his shoulders. Dante was completely innocent this time. He had done his very best to carry Nero upstairs – to his bed – without waking him after a lecture from Trish about putting his ‘toys’ away. There had been some more serious undertones to her ranting – one being that he was taking advantage of Nero’s ‘obviously confused’ state and the second that the boy had a girlfriend – which Dante would consider later when there wasn’t a warm body magnetized to his own as soon as he slid beneath the blankets.

Nero nuzzled his head up under Dante’s chin, purring and whining like some small animal burrowing into its nest. The small sounds coming from the unconscious form were endearing as the boy finally seemed to relax against him. Dante wrapped an arm around the kid’s waist, his hand coming to rest on Nero’s butt, a finger slipping between the crack of his ass and feeling the cum – his cum – still leaking from the small hole. Okay so maybe Dante wasn’t so innocent. In fact the idea of his seed coating the boy’s bowls, filling him, just plain inside him was sending little electric shocks straight to Dante’s groin. It was proof that what had happened a couple of hours ago wasn’t just in his head, and that Nero was his. Some feral instinct he put down to his demonic side wanted to brand the kid in some way; tell everyone else to back off. It was a bizarre form of attachment, not love, just some natural impulses he couldn’t avoid, maybe it was because Nero was a demon too that it felt so strong with him. He cupped Nero’s firm buttock and squeezed a little hoping to bring the boy back to consciousness in the most pleasurable manner. Who knew, if he got the kid turned on before he was coherent enough for common sense to kick in there was always the possibility of a round two.

Unaware of his actions Nero groaned and stretched leaning back into the hand squeezing his ass. Dante smiled and kissed the boy on the forehead nuzzling into the snow-drift of hair and breathing in Nero’s scent. The kid’s devil bringer lay across his chest, the scales oddly smooth against his bare skin, just hard enough to send another jolt of electricity down Dante’s spine as they brushed across his bare nipples. Dante had to suppress a moan as that leg roamed higher, stroking up and down his inner thigh. Dear god how could the kid do this to him when he wasn’t even awake?

Dante could feel his erection building between his thighs, if the kid didn’t stop soon he was either going to have a very nasty awakening or Dante was going to have to relieve himself. The demon slayer much preferred the first option.

“Nero,” Dante hissed, let his free hand brush some of the hair from the boy’s face. He planted light kisses on the boy’s jaw, nipping and sucking in place, just enough to penetrate his delirium. “Come on kid wake up.”

To be honest they hadn’t been sleeping all that long. It would have probably been kinder to let Nero have some rest, regain his energy after that. Dante felt slightly bad about taking the kid’s virginity – at least in that way – he hadn’t thought about it too much until Trish pointed it out to him. If he had thought better about it maybe he could have made it more special, but then again it hadn’t exactly been planned.

Nero’s eyelids fluttered and he groaned removing the hand from Dante’s chest to rub it across his eyes. He was comfortable with the skin of his devil bringer now, he hardly ever noticed which hand he was using – save for when he stabbed himself with a claw. “What? Where…?”

“Hey kid, how are you feeling?” Dante asked genuinely concerned… or thoughtful enough to ask anyway which was just as good enough in Dante’s book.

For Nero everything fell into place with a sickening clarity. The smell – the feeling of sweat and filth clinging to his skin; the presence next to him powerful, yet comforting... the hand squeezing his ass.

“What the hell are you doing?” Nero yelped pulling away from the devil hunter’s lecherous hands. Dante was disappointed by the sudden lack of heat as Nero sat up staring at the demon slayer as though he’d grown an extra head.

“What does it look like?” Dante grinned folding his arms behind his head on the pillow and shifting his head to watch the boy’s changing expression.

“I… we…”

“Bingo,” the elder man affirmed the boy’s fears sliding himself into a sitting position to catch Nero in case he bolted. Not that he’d get very far once he remembered he was stark naked.

“You raped me…”

“Hey hey whoa let’s not go throwing accusations around,” Dante leaned in towards Nero, his lips lingering just under the boy’s his large eyes staring up into Nero’s own. “You loved ever minute of it just as much as I did and don’t even try and deny it.” A hand snaked around Nero’s slim hips, pulled him back towards the centre of the bed. “Didn’t you Nero, when you were screaming my name, when you came for me; my cum’s still inside your tight little ass.”

Dante trailed a finger up Nero’s abdomen, circled a rosy nipple watching as it grew erect beneath his touch.

Nero bit back a groan and fought down a twinge of arousal, anger flaring in his eyes. “I’m fucking sore thanks to you so don’t even think about it.”

“First time’s always difficult,” Dante acknowledged truthfully. “Second and third can be painful too, but you get used to it soon.” ‘Specially if you have a sadist for a bed partner.

Nero’s face drained of colour as the elder man carried on in his advances. “What about Kyrie?” He tried to pull away from Dante, the man wouldn’t let him. Dante didn’t need the kid running off hating him, that wouldn’t make things right. “You made me cheat on her…”

“Nero I didn’t make you do anything,” Dante answered truthfully. He would have never forced the boy into anything, tried to open his eyes a little, compel him even, but never force him. Being on the receiving end of that bargain one too many times made you appreciate these things. “But don’t worry about her, I’m not gonna tell, not the jealous type.”

“So I’m just a cheap fuck to you then is that it?” Nero hissed voice sounding oh so slightly hurt. He didn’t know whether he wanted to hit the older man or kiss him. Dante was such a juxtaposition of everything he believed in, he hated how Dante could make him feel two completely different emotions at once.

“Entirely up to you kid,” Dante replied nonchalantly. “I never meant to mess up your relationship, that’s not my game. I’m just making sure you’re honest with yourself. You’ve gotta see what’s out there before you’re tied down and there’s no use dating a chick if you bat for the other side right?”

Nero simply stared at him unable to speak, the complete arrogance of it, the cocky assurance in everything he did…

“Look I know you love her I see that,” Dante continued on with his explanation. “But you’ve got to ask yourself why you love her, how you love her. And I’m not even asking you to make a decision; you won’t hurt my feelings at all if you go back to her. In fact I expect you to because you’re a good guy.”

Nero bowed his head, hands in his lap, brow creased. “So what am I to you then?”

Dante shrugged. “Friend, lover, fuck buddy if you prefer.”

Nero shook his head slowly confused. He’d never felt such a mix of emotions, it was so much easier when everything was in simple black and white.

“Well look kid, I’ve got something I need to deal with, are you planning on helping or not?” Dante asked slyly gauging the boy’s reaction as his eyes travelled down to Dante’s hips beneath the covers.

It took him a moment to reply, thinking. “My ass is too sore right now.”

Dante smiled brushing the back of his hand across the boy’s fair cheek. “Well I do love that pretty mouth of yours,” he teased, pressing his fingers against Nero’s lips until the boy took them into his mouth with some hesitation sucking them hard and running his tongue across the man’s finger tips. Dante grunted and his breath hitched then he changed his mind, removed his hand from the cavity of Nero’s mouth. “I’ve got a better idea kid, lesson number two.”

Nero looked apprehensive and swallowed the sound clear in the room.

Dante smiled letting his hand run across Nero’s jaw down his throat, trailing saliva in its wake. “It’s your turn to take me isn’t it? You need to see what both sides of the coin are like before making a proper decision eh?”

“Take you?” Nero’s eyes widened, his breath caught in his throat. The idea of dominating the bold man before him was both frightening and exhilarating at the same time. His semi-hard erection jumped with anticipation as he surveyed the man below him in a completely different light. He’d never had a man, he assumed it would be the same as a woman, but he knew there had to be a difference no matter how subtle.

“Yeah, know you’re not a virgin, you’ve fucked a girl before right? Well same principal only you can be as rough as you like, well with me anyway,” Dante answered leaning back against the pillows a little to see if the kid would truly be able to take the lead without his help. “You don’t have to worry about hurting me or telling me you love me, just fuck me.” Dante spread his legs beneath the sheets to emphasize his point.

That was all the invitation Nero needed, he pulled the sheets away, leaving them both completely naked on the bed. He straddled the man, nearly sitting on Dante’s shoulders as he pressed the tip of his semi-hard erection against his mouth. Dante didn’t need prompting, he opened his mouth and allowed the boy to thrust in to the back of his throat, sucking and licking the column of flesh invading his mouth. Nero moaned gripping Dante by the hair and forcing more of himself into the hot cavity.

Dante’s hands came up to grip Nero’s hips, it was an awkward position and he didn’t need the boy getting too carried away. He could roll them over, pin Nero on his back, but he didn’t want to. This was about Nero fucking him and he hadn’t found someone he was willing to let do that in a long time. He wasn’t going to intervene at all, pretend he was helpless and see what the kid came up with. Dante couldn’t deny that when he was with a good partner he enjoyed bottoming as much as being on top. His erection hardened at the thought a thrill running up his spine. He remembered being bound, helpless beneath an abusive lover. He didn’t expect the kid to go quite that far, but the idea made him shiver and moan around the cock in his mouth.

“Fuck,” Nero breathed his erection now complete as that tongue wrapped itself around his length, sucking and squeezing drawing him further into that hot mouth, his lips around the base of his straining cock. His finger slid through Dante’s platinum locks, fisted themselves in his hair as he fought the urge to thrust into the delicious heat. The older man’s hands found the cheeks of his ass, squeezed tightly and prevented him from delving any further. Nero was trying to remain in control, to dominate, but he had a feeling Dante was still very much the one in command as he arched his back and let out a long drawn out moan. He was going to have to fix that. He didn’t want Dante thinking that he was a wimp or that he wanted to be on the bottom all the time. He wanted to give as good as he got, he wanted that dirty mouth screaming by the time he’d finished with the cocky demon slayer.

His eyes scoured the night stands, searching for something, anything as he reached across to grip the head board trying to force himself further into the heat of Dante’s mouth. Dante hadn’t quite been expecting that, his grip on Nero’s hips tightened as he choked on the thick length hitting the back of his throat. Nero smiled evilly, let Dante suffocate a second longer as his throat constricted around his cock then pulled away, tearing the man’s hands from his hips.

Dante had to hand it to the kid; he was cleverer than he had thought. There was a second of surprise as spots danced in front of his vision, then a slap of leather and a sibilant hiss as the restraint snapped into place. Dante tugged at his bound hands confused, trying to figure out how Nero had moved so fast and putting it down to the demonic arm. His wrists were now secured to the head board with his own leather belt, the metal clasp bound tight around the iron bars at the head of his bed. Oh he could break the bonds if he truly wanted to, but ruin his favorite belt…

Nero was on top of him then, straddling his waist now and bending forwards to steal his mouth in a sloppy kiss, hips rolling over Dante’s own, straining erections rubbing together. Dante met the tongue invading his mouth with equal force, growling into the kiss and bucking his hips. Nero hadn’t quite won yet and he meant to show him that as he kept the tongue trying to gain entrance to his mouth at bay. Then the boy ran that clawed hand up his chest, pinched a pebbled nipple and Dante gasped into the kiss giving Nero the chance to slip his tongue inside, biting into the flesh of Dante’s lips.

When the boy finally retreated for air they were both panting, Dante’s muscles strained against the restraint, lips smeared with his own blood eyes dark. “It appears I under-estimated your abilities.” He grinned trying not to remember the last time he’d said that to the boy, under much different circumstances.

Nero growled, leaned in to nip and suck along Dante’s jugular, biting into the flesh at his collar bone. Dante’s breathing hitched and more electricity coursed down his spine. Nero’s tongue probed the wound, bit deeper into his flesh until ribbons of red rolled down past his lips. Dante winced in the slight pain, feeling heat shoot to his groin, his head tilting back, long neck exposed in a show of submission. He moaned deep in his throat when Nero’s human hand slipped between their bodies, lifted one muscled thigh aside so that he could lay more comfortably between the elder man’s legs. Dante complied wrapping his strong leg around Nero’s waist, tilting his body teasingly into the head of Nero’s cock.

The younger male growled, slid down Dante’s chest, pinched a nipple and sucked the other into his mouth loving the way the man’s eyes slid shut and his body arched into his warm mouth muscles flexing as he fought against the restraint.

“Nngh Nero,” Dante hissed breathlessly. If this was the way he reacted when that tongue was only working on his chest he didn’t dare to think what it would feel like when the boy made his way lower…

When he did Dante let out a breath moan as Nero placed a kiss on the tip of his shaft. Then he wrapped his human hand around Dante’s cock, giving him a long slow lick around the head, collecting the droplets of pre-cum there. Dante’s eyes had shut again, his head thrown back, he wanted to touch the boy, to fist his hands in his hair, but he couldn’t. Instead he wrapped his legs around Nero’s back, urged him forwards with strong thighs. Nero couldn’t deny that he loved it, having the mighty demon slayer writhing beneath his touch, his own cock jumped at the mere thought. He was going to make Dante scream, come just for him and then they’d see who belonged to who.

“Open your eyes and watch me Dante,” Nero said with a tone of command in his voice, watching as Dante’s lust filled eyes slid open to gaze at him longingly. Dante fought the urge to shut his eyes again when Nero finally took him into his mouth and slid down the length of his cock. 

“Oh fuck Nero,” Dante groaned, wanting more than ever to touch the boy, his muscles tensing and his hips arching into that warm mouth.

Nero was nervous, sure, he’d never pleasured anyone in this way before, but there was something there which seemed so natural. He remembered what Dante had done to him, the way his hot tongue licked and sucked and writhed against the head of his own needy flesh and carefully followed that procedure. From the reaction he was getting he guessed he was doing a good job. He bobbed his head, taking as much of Dante in without choking himself – hands clamped onto Dante’s bucking hips to stop him from doing anything Nero wasn’t quite ready for – then sucked all the way back up to the very tip of the elder man’s cock, swirling his tongue around the swollen head.

His hand slipped lower to play with Dante’s balls teasingly; massaging the hot sacks between his fingers, earning a cry from the man beneath him, before traveling further still, slipping between the cleft of his ass and fingering Dante’s puckered entrance. The man groaned as a finger circled his hole idly, trying to get up the courage to work a little deeper as he investigated the tight opening. Dante tried to thrust onto the finger, needing something, anything inside him now before he went mad.

“Nero,” Dante hissed as the boy finally slid a dry finger inside. It was painful, but Dante wasn’t coherent enough to distinguish between the pleasure of his aching cock and the pain in his ass. “Oh god…”

Nero smiled, pulled away from his ministrations at Dante’s cock to watch the man straining beneath him. He slipped another finger into Dante’s tight ass, feeling his own cock harden at the thought of being imbedded deep inside that velvet heat. It was different to a woman, so impossibly different. The ring of muscle clamped impossibly tight around his probing fingers as he pushed deeper into the man’s ass, stroking the walls and searching for that spot inside he knew was there, had felt when Dante’s cock was ripping into his own ass. Disappointed in his task he forced a third finger inside and was both dismayed and aroused by a pained cry which forced it’s way between Dante’s clenched teeth. He suddenly realized he’d been finger fucking the man dry, despite Dante’s assurances that he wouldn’t hurt him it must have been painful especially when Dante was so impossibly tight.

“Am I hurting you?” He asked genuinely concerned, watching Dante’s flushed face.

Dante sucked in a breath. “No, kid you can’t hurt me even if you tried. Now hurry up and fuck me”

Nero scowled, hating the cocky expression on the man’s face. Well if he wanted it this way then he was going to have it this way.

“You want this huh?” Nero hissed, reaching down to fist his own cock in his hand. He may not have been Dante’s size, but he wasn’t far off. “You want my huge cock pounding into your tight ass?”

Dante let out a bark of a laugh. “Jeez kid you’re really getting into this aren’t you?”

Nero twisted his fingers in the man’s ass earning a startled gasp from the man below him. “You’re the one into all this kinky shit I’m just doing what you want.” His voice lowered, dropped to a whisper as he finally pulled out of the man and slid back up so he could whisper huskily into Dante’s ear, the weeping head of his shaft pressing teasingly against the tight hole. “Now tell me you want my cock in your ass.”

“God Nero,” Dante hissed trying to push down onto Nero’s cock, feeling the boy’s free hand teasing the head of his erection with feather light touches. “Fuck me; I want you inside me now.”

Nero grinned. “No you want my huge cock pounding into your tight ass.”

“Just get on with it you little punk,” Dante growled, bucking his hips.

Nero rolled his eyes, but consented knowing he wasn’t going to get anywhere. He gave no warning as he rammed inside the man below him, shoving his way in until he was buried up to the hilt. Dante let out a cry, head hanging back eyes wide. Nero in turn released a breathy moan; it felt so damn good, better than a woman. He didn’t know why, but he wasn’t really all that bothered right now either. Maybe it was the power, anger, boiling beneath him, his sudden ability to tame something so wild. Like riding a bull; seeing how long you could stay on before it bucked you off.

“Fucking sadist,” Dante panted around the pain of his abused hole as Nero picked up a violent pace, gripping his hips with a bruising force.

“Masochist,” Nero quipped leaning in above the man’s lips to whisper into his mouth. “You fucking love it.” When Dante cried out again Nero’s lips curled into a grin. “Am I hurting you yet?”

Dante shook his head slightly panting as Nero’s thrusts escalated, wrapping his thighs around the boy’s waist to invite a deeper entry. “Like I said… you can’t hurt me… kid…”

“Oh we’ll see,” Nero growled and Dante only just registered what was happening a moment too late. A blue glow shimmered across Nero’s skin and he triggered.

This time Dante screamed, the cock in his ass swelled and the force of the thrusts doubled, Nero’s clawed nails digging into his hips. He tried to ignore the pain as he was torn open, the fact that it felt like there were two cocks in his as rather than one. He didn’t know how Nero’s bizarre trigger/phantom thing worked and was a little too distracted to figure it out for himself. It was there, hovering above Nero though, a strange voyeur as it mimicked Nero’s actions. He hated to say it, think it, whilst Nero was fucking his brains out – or at least attempting to – but it did look a hell of a lot like Vergil.

He tried to ignore the thought, push it to the back of his mind, concentrate on the pain, anything other than thinking about that reopening so many old wounds at a time like this and quite possibly hurting the kid as well. That was until Nero spoke in a voice that was and wasn’t his own. An echoed snarl which forced Dante’s eyes back to the boy and away from the specter just to make sure the kid was speaking.

“You’re enjoying this aren’t you, you little whore,” Nero snarled, staring into Dante’s shocked eyes with his now bright red ones. His thrusts had slowed a little, punctuated every now and then by a painfully hard roll of Nero’s hips. “You haven’t been fucked like this in ages, you’re loving it aren’t you?”

“Nero?” Dante asked with a hint of hesitation in his voice. If this was a game it was going a little too far. Not that Dante wasn’t into games he just didn’t like it when he didn’t know whether someone was screwing with him or not.

The boy didn’t answer; instead he pulled out of Dante, making the older man whine at both the pain of the withdrawal and the sudden loss. Before Dante could make a coherent protest Nero flipped him over, his bound hands twisting awkwardly, straining his back as his face hovered above the mattress. He panted around the pain in his ass and his screaming muscles, waited for Nero to re-enter him half wishing for the boy to go back to his normal self, the other wanting to know where this was going. Nero was right, Dante was a masochist, and he had a feeling he was going to get off on whatever Nero’s more carnal side planned on doing to him.

Then there was a body sliding over his own, putting more pressure on his aching arms as something blunt nudged between the cleft of his ass. “You’d beg me for it wouldn’t you?” The hiss wasn’t Nero; he knew it wasn’t the kid he knew this – this feeling of helplessness – all too well. He screwed his eyes tight shut, shook his head until it hurt his shoulders too much.

“No,” he hissed, not an objection to the previous question, but to the speaker, the impossibility. It was his head playing tricks on him, Nero had always reminded him just that little bit of Vergil, but heck he’d reminded Dante of himself too. And he couldn’t do this to the kid, couldn’t let his own insane fantasies hurt Nero. “No, no no, this isn’t happening.”

“Oh it is Dante so you’d better enjoy it,” the voice hissed in his ear. It was only speaking words Vergil had spoken to him before, forced his mind back to all those times his twin had taken him. In the tower, some forgotten church yard a year earlier, in a back alley up against a wall when Dante had been living on the streets with no where to run. It could all be in his head, the memories simply triggered by Nero’s obviously similar looks. He could finally be loosing his marbles – maybe Nero was doing a better job of screwing his brains out than he had previously thought…

Then he let out a long low moan as the boy’s huge cock pressed against his ass, deliberately missed the entrance and slid between his dripping cheeks. It passed through over and over again, driving Dante mad with longing as he pushed back into the body behind him.

“Remember the first time I took you Dante? You were begging for it,” the voice continued as Dante desperately tried to shut it out of his mind. He yelped when the specter’s hands went to his nipples, circling them before squeezing the erect buds, then a hand trailed up his throat, shoved two transparent fingers inside his mouth. Dante tried to bite down, it proved impossible, the digits far too hard to make a dent in, exploring his mouth invasively.

“It was a shame I wasn’t your first, but the idea that you were accustomed to such a personal intrusion was almost satisfying,” the head of the swollen shaft finally slid inside Dante’s ass and the man moaned around the fingers in his mouth. “After all what would mother have said? Her golden boy sinking so low, no better than a whore. I watched you with another man, a customer I suppose you could call it seeing as he pressed some coins into your hand, but it was clearly rape, the way you quivered and cried.”

A hard thrust back inside Dante’s abused hole and he cried out, a familiar anger boiling in the pit of his stomach as he relived this memory again. Remembered when Vergil hissed the fowl words into his ear at the very apex of Temin-Ni-Gru. When the man above him began to ride him into the mattress he heard himself moaning and whimpering beneath the punishing pace. Hated himself for the sounds, shame and humiliation washing over him even though he knew he was alone now. It was in his head, these were nightmares, not real, it wasn’t happening. He needed Nero back, not some phantom to haunt him.

“You taught yourself to love it,” the voice above him snarled, punctuated with a hard thrust to Dante’s prostrate which sent a wanton moan from the elder man’s lips. “And I loved making you feel like that whore again knowing you wanted to escape those memories. Tearing into your tight lass, reminding you how sick you were.”

Dante cried out as the head of Nero’s cock stimulated his sweet spot mercilessly, and the hand at his chest slipped lower to fist his weeping erection.

“And now I’m going to make you hate yourself all over again.”

Dante shook his head helplessly. He wouldn’t go so far as to say he was being raped, but something here was so terribly wrong. He didn’t want it like this. After waiting for someone he trusted enough to let them take him it had all bottled down to this…

A thumb flicked across the head of his cock, teased the hood of skin, massaged all the way down to the base and cupped his straining balls kneading the sacks gently. The cock in his ass pounded into him, shredding his opening. Dante was screaming everything and anything, loving and hating the moment all at the same time as he was brought to his peak, jerking between the cock in his ass and the hand around his own straining erection.

Then the voice was back at his ear, hissed in a commanding whisper. “Come for me Dante.”

And he did, screaming his brother’s name and biting down on the fingers in his mouth, eyes screwed tight shut head thrown back. Streams of hot semen spurted across the ghostly hand, stained the sheets below him and sprayed up his belly, droplets hitting his chin and lips. He was boneless, only Nero’s hands on his hips keeping him upright as Nero rode him through the oblivion. The boy’s thrusts became erratic as Dante’s muscles clamped down around his cock, the tight heat becoming impossibly tighter around his engorged shaft. He thrust in a few more times, desperately, until finally he came inside the elder man, crying his own release into the room.

Dante was only partially aware of the hot cum coating his insides, dribbling from his over-stuffed hole. He didn’t quite register when the hand around his cock and the fingers in his mouth finally disappeared. His head was buzzing, muscles screaming at him for respite as Nero continued to thrust shallowly inside him, panting heavily as he came down from his orgasm.

It took Nero a while to open his eyes, see clearly through the haze which had engulfed his mind. He was barely aware of what had happened after he triggered, only that he had just had one of the most mind-blowing orgasms of his life. When he finally pulled out of Dante he was dismayed to see blood, a lot of blood. He had torn the man open and now his seed dribbled down between the man’s thighs mixed with heavy traces of sanguine. Dante was shaking and twitching with exertion, a cool sweat running down his back whilst he crouched on splayed knees his bound wrists the only thing which stopped him from collapsing completely.

“Oh god,” Nero hissed, he didn’t know if he’d hurt the elder man badly, but Dante’s unusual quietness was scaring the shit out of him. “Dante are you alright?”

Dante groaned shifting slightly in the uncomfortable position. “Just untie me.”

Nero nodded and hurried to obey, slipping from the bed and fighting with the tough leather of Dante’s belt until the clasp came undone and the man’s bound hands were finally released. Dante slumped forwards when his only support was removed, before pulling himself upright ignoring the blood which had caked around his wrists. He shifted onto his side facing away from Nero. He felt slightly sick; he didn’t think he could look at the boy. What if he knew? He didn’t want Nero to know anything about him and Vergil, his brother was a stain on his life which refused to come clean. He’d hoped that maybe he’d found something with Nero which – wasn’t love, wasn’t necessarily pure, but worth hanging on to none the less. If he had ruined everything just now…

Nero watched Dante numbly, this time there wasn’t the bliss of aching muscles and succumbing to sleep. He felt awful; blood was still leaking from between Dante’s buttocks and staining the sheets around his thighs. The older man wasn’t moving, but he wasn’t asleep either, back tensed. Nero could almost feel the rejection coming from his bed partner. Had he done something wrong? Dante had said Nero wouldn’t hurt him, but maybe he’d taken that too seriously.

“Dante,” Nero licked his lips apprehensively. “You’re not mad at me are you?”

Dante shook his head, swiped at some of the cum on his chin with his free hand. He felt dirty and used, but he didn’t know why. He had just relived some of the more scarring memories in his life and he didn’t know whether it was all in his head or not. How did he know it wouldn’t happen again? Unprovoked next time?

“No kid, why would I be?” He asked nonchalantly.

“But you don’t look alright Dante,” Nero said hesitantly still studying the older man’s outline in the dark room. He hadn’t climbed into the bed yet for fear that Dante would kick him out.

Dante rolled over onto his back, pulled himself into a sitting position, knees drawn up slightly to stem the pain in his ass – even though the skin was already healing itself, knitting back together seamlessly. Nero tried to ignore the fact that he looked slightly fragile in the pale moonlight; even with the rippling muscles beneath his smooth flesh Dante still looked far younger than he was at the moment.

“It’s just been a while okay?” Dante asked hoping the boy would get the message that he didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want to be feeble and he didn’t want Nero to think he was either.

“I was too rough wasn’t I?” Nero asked crestfallen as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

Dante let out a bark of a laugh. “Too rough? With me? Jeez no,” he really didn’t want the kid to get that impression; he didn’t want him to feel bad either. “I’m practically healed already, I’m fine.”

Nero looked across at him disbelievingly. “If you say so.”

Dante flashed him a smile, trying to shake off the depressing atmosphere in the room. Why did it all suddenly feel so serious?

“Trust me,” he nodded, leaned in to steal a kiss from the boy’s rosy lips. They were soft and pliant against his own allowing him to slide a tongue into Nero’s mouth as he pulled him further into the bed, down against the pillows. Nero’s tongue battled against his own, quickly succumbing to his dominant sparing partner, tasting cum on Dante’s lips and wondering idly who it belonged to.

When they finally parted Nero’s cheeks had flushed a shade of pink which Dante forced himself not to tease the boy about. He wrapped an arm around the kid, the other hand seeking out the covers and drawing it up around their bodies as he settled into the pillows. He’d worry about getting them cleaned up later; right now he was too exhausted.

He felt Nero’s lips on his own again as sleep rushed up to meet him. The boy’s feather soft kisses running along his jaw, across his cheek, his closed eyes. And as he fell into the embrace of sleep he made one of the bigger mistakes of his life.

“Vergil.”

The whisper was clear in the silent room as Dante drifted into delirium. Nero stilled his ministrations feeling something in his chest twist painfully as he regarded Dante’s sleeping form. He pulled away, half felt like running from the room, but resisted the urge when he felt Dante’s arm around his waist. Instead he rolled over, stared at the opposite wall and willed for sleep to take away the memory of that treacherous word.


	3. Chapter III

Chapter III

"What’s wrong sweetie?” The soft voice distracted Nero from his brooding as he looked up at Trish – she had taken a seat in Dante’s chair in the man’s absence. Nero, who had previously been staring morosely at the floorboards beneath his feet, watched her with a quizzical expression on his face – even though she was the one who had asked the question. He liked Trish, there was something very motherly about her – despite the fact he had first known her as the exotic Gloria there was something genuine beneath the surface of her china blue eyes. And now those eyes were fixed on him, slight signs of worry marring her brow. Trish was also the only one – minus Kyrie of course – who could get away with calling him ‘sweetie’.

“I don’t know,” he said letting the words run out of him in a deflated sigh. He did know, he knew very well what was wrong. Dante was what was wrong. The man had managed to screw up his life yet again. He’d cheated on Kyrie one way or another, no matter how the elder man put it he’d still slept with someone else. Then to make matters worse it turned out Dante was only using him, wasn’t seeing Nero, just using his familiar looks to get off on some secret memory. He didn’t know why that knowledge hurt so much, he wasn’t exactly a saint himself, but he had thought that maybe Dante actually cared just that little bit.

On top of all that though there was the even more worrying prospect of a dream he had had the night before which left his mind reeling. It was Dante again, beneath him, against hard stone face and hair bloody and matted from the pouring rain. What had confused him most about the dream was how young Dante had looked; his hair was longer, face softer, fresher. Dante had tried to hide his emotions amongst the rain, but Nero had seen angry tears sliding down the man’s – no boy’s – cheeks. And in his dream he’d loved it, loved the torment written out on Dante’s face. Now he was even more confused, worried, disturbed even, by what he’d seen – what his own head had created. Did he really want to hurt the man? Dante had been playing him, but Nero didn’t think he wanted to cause him any actual pain. The dream was so vivid he’d woken up aroused with no choice other than to slip out of bed and deal with the problem. It had both concerned and angered him that he got off on the coupled memories of the night before and his twisted dream.

“Dante’s still asleep huh?” Trish asked bringing Nero away from his memories and back to the present.

“Yeah,” Nero answered lamely with a slight nod of his head. He knew Trish knew and it was making talking all the more difficult. She must have known, her room was only a couple of doors down the hall and he remembered Dante screaming, the thought sent a very unwelcome jolt of electricity straight to his groin.

“Do you love him?” She asked her voice so commonplace, like she was talking about the weather or something. Trish was watching his face to gauge his reaction and Nero felt his mind reel as he blanched.

“Love him?” Nero laughed hoarsely. “Love Dante? You’ve got to be kidding right? Those two words don’t belong together in the same sentence!”

“I see,” was all the blonde said in her creepy womanish way. ‘I see’ could mean so many things and Nero knew that the male brain didn’t have the capacity to decipher the female’s incredibly illusive way of thinking.

“What?” He asked sharply brow furrowed. “Come on Trish you know as well as I do Dante’ll screw anything with a pulse.”

“You’re giving him too much credit,” she replied. She paused, looked thoughtful, chin rested on her interlinked palms as she supported her elbows on the desk. Nero could tell she was bored, it had been a slow week and whilst she normally showed a general concern for the boy it had stepped into the realm of gossip. If Nero said anything Trish was eventually going to tell Lady and that would open up a can of worms when the time was right. “How do you think Dante feels then?”

“I don’t give a fuck what Dante feels.” The reply came out maybe a little harsher than he’d intended. He averted his gaze to the floor, talk about not saying anything which could get him into trouble. He dared to glance back up at Trish to see that her eyes had widened, but her expression – excluding the signs of shock – had slipped into complete seriousness again.

“That’s not like you,” she said softly as she got up, walked around the desk and sat next to him on the couch. “Did he do something to you?”

“What didn’t he do to me?” Nero grumbled under his breath not actually intending for her to hear.

“What?” She asked quizzically.

“Nothing,” he shook his head. But it wasn’t nothing and he needed to know, to ask someone. He looked up at her hesitantly. “Trish,” he bit his lip, looked away. He felt embarrassed and he didn’t know why. “Who’s Vergil?”

There was a moment of silence as Trish processed the information and came up with the only logical conclusion.

“Oh he didn’t?” She asked in a conspiratorial whisper a hand going up to cover her mouth. “Oh this is too good!”

“It’s not funny,” Nero snapped, annoyed. “Trish,” she was still smiling though she was trying not to. “Stop it, I don’t know what happened last night, but there’s something seriously wrong with him.”

“Well you were there,” she replied finally keeping a straight face. “What you think I stick cameras in Dante’s room or something?”

Nero, who had previously been staring at his hands, did a double take. “You’d better be joking.”

“Of course I am,” Trish said feigning hurt. “Nero what kind of person do you think I am?” Her expression sobered again, finally, to that caring look which he knew was genuine. “Look if you’re worried about him then you should talk to him. And… you should ask him who Vergil is too if it’s causing a problem.”

The phone rang then, as if on cue, Nero wasn’t sure if he was happy as Trish walked back across to the desk or not. It was a job that was for certain – that phone was specifically jobs only – and as it was a slow week he knew Trish would take it. If it was something she could handle that meant that he and Dante would be left alone. He did need to talk to the man, but he didn’t know if he could handle it now. Then again he wasn’t sure if he wanted to talk to Trish anymore either.

“Devil May Cry,” Trish said in what Nero was certain was a practiced tone. He was sure Dante quite enjoyed having his own secretary – or as close as he was ever going to get. “Yeah okay, we’ll be there soon.”

Nero rose at the mention of a ‘we’, but dropped back into the leather couch when Trish shook her head. “Sorry sweetie, you’ve got to sort things out with lover boy right?” She asked with a wink making her way to the door. Trish was quite used to dramas involving Dante’s bed partners and knew to steer well clear of them.

Nero rolled his eyes. “I hate you sometimes.”

Trish simply smiled and left, leaving Nero feeling completely alone. He rested his head back against the couch, wished he didn’t give a damn.

* * *

 

When Dante woke he was stiff and the empty bed beside him had long ago gone cold. He dragged himself out of the bed feeling sick, worried that Nero wasn’t there and slightly disgusted by the state he was still in. A shower was quite obviously first priority. He let the scalding water burn his skin, try to sear away the memory of the night before, but it still remained lodged in his consciousness. The words which had stung him some fifteen years ago still hurt now, maybe even more so because now it was ruining his new life. His brother had always had that ability to wear him down; his twin’s voice burned into the back of his mind reminding him how worthless he really was.

He shut off the water, dried off and pulled some pants on a towel still wrapped around his shoulders as he made his way downstairs. No use putting a shirt on until his hair was dry right?

Dante entered the main room, wondering where Nero was, trying to figure how he was going to explain it all. Or cover it up as the case may be. In fact at this moment he much preferred that option. Pretend it didn’t exist, nothing happened, yeah that seemed to work. He didn’t want to tell Nero about Vergil and if Nero didn’t remember what had happened it didn’t matter anyway. He would just have to make sure that the kid didn’t make a habit of triggering during sex. In fact making sure he didn’t trigger full stop might be a good idea.

Nero was sitting on the couch, head leaned back eyes closed. If he was still tired why didn’t he stay upstairs? Dante made his way across to the couch, sat down next to Nero, tried to forget what had happened the last time they were here…

The boy’s eyes slithered open when the weight on the couch alerted him to Dante’s presence.

“I missed you this morning,” Dante said huskily, leaning forwards in an attempt to steal a kiss from Nero’s lips a hand trying to slip around his shoulder.

Nero pulled back, batted the man’s hand away. “I wouldn’t want to be a disappointment to you.” He replied sourly seeing the man’s expression change to one of confusion.

“What?” Dante asked brow furrowed. He was genuinely confused, he was pretty sure Nero didn’t remember – or even register – what had happened the night before. Had he found out? Was that why he was angry?

“You know perfectly well what I’m talking about,” Nero snapped glaring at him, electricity sparking in his pale blue eyes. “You’ve screwed all this up for me. You’ve ruined everything!”

“Hey you can’t blame it on me this time, I was tied up,” Dante shot back keeping his cool. Nero didn’t know anything, the boy was just being pissy not cross or worried – well wouldn’t you be if you had someone living in your arm? So, quite simply put, he was having another strop because Dante made Nero cheat on Kyrie. Yeah… right…

“I don’t mean that,” Nero ground out. He wanted to rip Dante’s head off, instead his voice lowered to a deadly calm. “You’ve just been playing with me the whole time, messing with my head and I thought maybe you actually cared, but you were just fucking using me weren’t you?”

Dante stared at the boy a second, raised an eyebrow. “Using you?”

“Don’t you even try and deny it,” Nero hissed. “I get it now, it makes perfect sense-”

The elder man grabbed Nero’s arm when he tried to rise, Nero didn’t quite know where he was going and it didn’t matter when the strong hand closed around his wrist. “What are you talking about?”

Nero’s eyes narrowed to slits. “I heard you whispering his name.” He yanked his hand from Dante’s grip and moved out of range, heading for the stairs. He was leaving right now. He didn’t want to be here anymore, didn’t care about how Dante felt.

Dante was up in a second, following behind the boy with sharp strides. Nero barely registered the movement as Dante grabbed him by the shoulders, span him round and pinned him against the desk.

“Whose name?” Dante asked staring down at the boy from his superior height.

Nero simply glared, he didn’t like being intimidated, he hated that Dante had so much power over him even now as he was pressed painfully into the desk. Dante had his wrists in a vice like grip, leaning forwards oh so slightly causing Nero to pull back further, leaning to get away from the firm body in front of him and trying desperately to quell the small pin-pricks of electricity raising the hairs on his skin. For how long had he wanted Dante to bend him over this desk and fuck him? It had been a fantasy as soon as he saw the thing, the way Dante sat like a king behind it. He envied Trish for her space in one corner, the way she could so casually perch there without a second thought.

Dante grinned seeing the blush tinge the boy’s cheeks. Nero’s eyes burned with anger, but he could see that his breathing had picked up a little, full lips parted to draw in desperate gulps of air. The hunter wanted to lean in and take them in his own, thrust his tongue inside Nero’s fowl mouth, and then something bigger… His own body was stirring awake, and in this position Nero was going to notice fairly quickly, when he did things would go from bad to worse.

“Whose name?” Dante repeated pressing forwards a little and ignoring the way the boy squirmed to get away from him. “Nero?”

“Why don’t you take a fucking guess,” Nero growled, livid, hating how Dante could do this to him even when he wanted to rip the man’s head off.

Dante’s trousers were quickly becoming far too tight. How could he not be aroused by the little firecracker beneath him? Nero was like a wild animal when he was backed into a corner, temper showing as he fought against the man above him, tried to pull free of the hold Dante had on his wrists. Maybe it was Nero’s demonic blood or maybe the boy had always been like this. He had a feeling it was natural, some untameable beauty which made Dante want to force him into submission.

“I’m not psychic Nero,” Dante whispered, tilted his head further towards the boy’s. He barely registered what the kid was saying anymore, he knew Nero was angry, that there was something wrong, but he didn’t honestly know if he cared. What Nero had done to him the night before was just plain cruel, he intended to get some pay back. “Whose name?” He hissed into the boy’s mouth.

Nero’s face twisted bitterly, eyes burning so bright Dante feared he would get hit by the sparks. “Vergil.”

Dante’s expression changed immediately, shock throwing him off kilter, his hands loosened but maintained their hold on Nero’s wrists. He couldn’t honestly remember what he’d screamed during those moments when Nero had him powerless. It was all a bizarre surreal blur, the feelings were there. The familiar feelings of hatred and humiliation, but actual solid memory refused to materialize in his mind.

“Don’t look so damn surprised, you were thinking about him the whole time weren’t you?” Nero spat arching forwards in an attempt to throw the man off; his crotch coming into contact with Dante’s swelling erection. A look of disgust crossed the boy’s features. “You’re sick, you’re fucking sick, you know that? Is that all you think about? You want to fuck me just so you can remember your old lover?” Nero writhed in the man’s grasp, pulling wildly against him, muscles straining. Dante let the boy wear himself out, let the torrent of abuse fall on him. He deserved it after all, he knew he did.

“Let me go you asshole!” Nero yelled, near screaming at this point. His devil bringer flared, tried to pull away from Dante’s hold, but the elder man still had a considerable amount of strength and managed to restrain him. “What is it that reminds you of him huh? My eyes? Are they the same colour? Or my hair? That’d make sense, how many white haired guys are there?”

“Nero,” Dante growled a warning. The boy was on thin ice, Nero didn’t give a damn, in fact the caution in Dante’s voice only egged him on.

“Well what is it Dante?” Nero shrieked. “What makes him so damn special?” He paused, a gasp for breath before delivering the final blow. “I bet he left you right? Vergil, I bet he left you when he found out you were a freaking psycho!”

He knew he’d pushed Dante over the edge, he half wanted to, that was until he was thrown backwards onto the desk, a slap stinging his cheek a moment later. Dante was on top of him then, ripped his shirt off, pinched his nipples painfully hard, making Nero cry out and throw his head back. Dante’s hand slipped down to cup the boy’s erection through his pants, rubbed the heel of his hand across the straining material, squeezed impossibly hard. The man’s movements were fast and erratic, breathing heavy, not like he’d been all those times before.

“Dante!” Nero shouted, his voice quavering suddenly. He didn’t want this; he didn’t want this, not like this… He clawed at Dante’s bare chest, feeling angry tears well in his eyes. “Dante, stop it!”

The boy was nearly too frightened to muster the strength, but he pulled back the devil bringer for a blow fighting down his own panic and the arousal making itself known between his legs. He caught Dante across the face; it barely phased the demon hunter. Nero knew his aim had been off; it was hard to concentrate with the hot body on top of him, that lecherous hand between his legs forcing them wider apart.

Dante spat blood onto the floor delivered a blow of his own which snapped Nero’s head to the side with a crunch. The taste of copper filled Nero’s mouth as his cheek split open on his teeth. The elder man gave him another painful squeeze and Nero cried out as Dante fumbled with his belt. “You want this don’t you? I know you want it, you fucking love it.”

“No, please,” Nero whispered feeling humiliation colour his cheeks as he grew hard under the man’s ministrations. He wanted to crawl away and hide, a tear slid down the shallow curve of his cheek. “Dante, please…”

Then the feeling changed, the man was gone, Nero let out a shaky breath, opened his eyes even though he didn’t remember closing them. He lay sprawled across Dante’s desk, pizza boxes, a telephone, the smashed photograph of Eva lay scattered on the floor around him and the man sat on the couch across the room breathing ragged, head clutched in his hands.

The place was now impossibly silent as the thrum in his blood died, the only sounds were his and Dante’s coupled breathing, the fan spinning slowly on the ceiling… and then… And then Nero slowly eased himself from the desk, ignoring the creaking protest of the wood, the glass crunching beneath his booted feet. He stood shakily, rested against the hard wood, and slowly refastened his belt, wondered if he should just leave now.

“Dante?” He tried for a calm tone and failed miserably, voice cracking as the adrenalin pumping through his veins slowly died down. He swallowed hard, fighting down a lump of fear in his throat. “Are you alright?”

He forced himself to move, make his way across the room to the man, stayed standing just out of arm’s reach, looking down at the white mop of hair covering his face. He wasn’t scared anymore, that moment had passed, but now he was having to deal with the very real idea that if he had wanted to Dante could have raped him just now. Nero would have been powerless to stop him if Dante had truly wanted to hurt him. And for a moment there he was pretty sure the man had.

“Dante?” Nero asked again voice firmer this time. “Come on, look I’m fine really.”

Dante shook his head voice low. “You’re not fine. How can you be Nero? I…” Dante clutched at his platinum locks unable to force the words from his throat. I’ve turned into him. The thought kept replaying itself in his mind like a mantra. He shook his head from side to side slowly, trying to force it all from his mind. Vergil… Vergil managed to fuck up his life even when he was stone cold dead.

“How can you be alright?” Dante asked again, lost for words, unable to look at the kid.

“I’m fine,” Nero repeated quietly. “I won’t lie… you scared the shit out of me just now, but… I’m okay. Takes a lot to throw us demon hunters doesn’t it?”

“I guess,” Dante finally raised his eyes to Nero’s. He expected to see anger; he saw only concern, maybe apprehension… that just made him feel a whole lot worse. “I won’t be offended if you want to leave.”

Nero looked down at him a second, considered just leaving now. It was tempting, just to get away from it all, go back to Kyrie and have everything be simple again. But could he do that? What would it be like now that he knew some things about himself? He loved the power radiating from the man across from him. Loved being forced into submission and loved dominating him at the same time. Kyrie wasn’t like that, she was altruistic and sweet. The kindest person he’d ever met, someone you could spend your life with… And Dante was wild and unpredictable, and suddenly he knew the answer.

“I’m not leaving just yet,” Nero managed around his heavy breathing. “There’s something going on here and I think I’m entitled to an explanation.”

Dante swallowed throat suddenly dry. He didn’t want to tell Nero anything. He wanted to do everything over again, whatever he had had with Nero was broken around them and he knew he couldn’t fix it. Unless maybe Nero understood… It wasn’t an excuse though; his own torment wasn’t an excuse for what he had done just now.

“I… Nero… I can’t…” Dante said helplessly struggling for words. He couldn’t tell the boy everything that had happened to him. Everything that had been done to him; his pride was slowly shattering around him and he wanted to keep the last few frail pieces in tact.

“Well you’d better Dante because you damn well owe me an explanation,” Nero said harshly eyes dark.

Dante gritted his teeth. “Just leave it, kid.”

He didn’t quite expect the slap across his cheek, but he should have seen it coming. Nero was livid; Dante could feel the anger rolling off the boy in waves. “You bastard, don’t even think about calling me a kid after what you just did to me!”

Dante swallowed, looked away, keeping his own anger in check and fighting down the guilt which threatened to overwhelm him. Nero didn’t need to know, he didn’t get to demand things from Dante; if he wanted out he could leave. “Look, kid, there are things you just don’t understand and there are things you don’t need to know.”

Nero bent down, grabbed Dante by the shoulders, all fear lost in reckless anger. “You’d better fucking tell me or I swear to god I’ll-”

Dante smirked. “You’ll what Nero?”

A muscle in Nero’s jaw jumped, his hands tightened on the man’s shoulders. He didn’t know what he wanted to say, he couldn’t think of a suitable threat.

Dante brushed the boy’s hands aside. “I thought as much,” he said smoothly and Nero felt anger boil in his gut at that tone of self assurance. His devil bringer flared as he watched the man. Dante wasn’t even looking at him… the bastard didn’t even have the decency to look at him after what he’d just done.

“Look kid I know-”

“I told you not to call me that!”

Dante was cut off by an angry shout and Nero’s devil bringer connecting solidly with his temple. The blow split the skin around his skull, sent him sprawling across the arm of the sofa. It took the hunter a while to register what had happened in his dazed state, black spots dancing in front of his eyes. If he had been with it enough he would have recognised that the punch was far too strong for just a smack with the clawed hand. Instead he had the nasty shock of that sudden realization hitting home far too late when he raised his head.

The iridescent blue glow made his stomach churn, and bile slowly rose into the back of his throat. Nero stood with his devil trigger towering above him, as Dante tried desperately to righten himself using the arm of the sofa.

Oh shit. “Nero?”

He barely had the chance to dodge another blow, throwing himself backwards and tipping the couch onto its side to avoid a swipe from Yamato’s blade. He rolled to his feet, backed up a bit eyes scanning the room for a nearby weapon which would hold out against the kid’s trigger.

Nero rounded the sofa with ease, sent a sonic blast at Dante which nearly knocked him from his feet. His head still wasn’t working as well as he would have liked and he had to grab the desk for support.

“Come on kid snap out of it!”

He stepped back, heard glass crunch beneath his bare foot, the pin-pricks of pain barely registering as glass imbedded itself in his skin. He looked back alarmed and saw his mother’s photograph beneath his heel; sanguine slowly ran across the picture in ribbons. It was enough to make Dante hesitate. If it had been anything else in the world he wouldn’t have given a damn, but it had to be her picture, one of few he had and it was going to be destroyed if he didn’t move it out of harm’s way.

Then he was thrown backwards again, toppled over the corner of the desk and crashed to the floor a gash in his arm already working to repair itself. He heard something clatter to the ground next to him and swiped Ivory from the floor with some relief opening fire on his attacker. Nero seemed to be dead to the world, stalking the hunter around the room rather than using any of his own finesse or grace. He wind-milled Yamato in his hand to deflect the barrage of bullets, Dante thought he was going to be sick.

He could almost remember the same feeling, a distant memory of scrabbling away from his brother, running falling as Vergil chased him with those cold eyes and the blank, serene look of a psychopath. Dante didn’t want the kid to get hurt, but he wasn’t exactly going to sit back and watch either, not after what had happened the night before. Nero was tough anyway, maybe if Dante could wear out his trigger he’d come back to his senses soon. Or Dante would just have to find something to snap him out of it.

Dante was up again, about to run before a bullet tore through his shoulder. He should have waited a little longer before leaving the shelter of the desk. He stumbled backwards into his chair landing gracelessly against the green leather. The boy was on him then, between Dante’s spread legs refusing to let him close them.

And any other time I’d think this was a good thing. Having Nero kneeling between his thighs wasn’t the worst thing in the world, though the spectres transparent eyes staring back into his own were a little off-putting. That problem was quickly solved when a moan slipped from his throat and his eyes slid closed. Nero’s hand had squeezed tentatively at the still prominent bulge between Dante’s thighs. Despite his own shame and then fear the raging hard on had only flagged to half mast and now Nero was coaxing it back to life.

“Oh god,” Dante groaned tangling his hands in the boy’s hair; he knew he shouldn’t be enjoying this. Nero wasn’t himself; the kid had wanted to tear his head from his shoulders a moment ago. Dante couldn’t honestly complain, but his own guilt made something twist in his stomach even as heat pooled in his groin. He freed his hands from the boy’s hair, tried feebly to shove the kid away when there was the loud scratch of his zipper being undone then the button popped open.

“Stop,” he hissed as the cool air of the room hit his freed erection and Nero slid his hands away from the zipper, massaged the tensed muscles at the junction of Dante’s thighs. “Come on kid, wake up.” Dante gave him one last desperate shove, which nearly toppled the boy… nearly. Then the spectres hands had his wrists in a crushing grip, pinning his arms back against the top of the chair.

Nero flashed him a sultry smile, which was so unlike him that had the situation been a little less dire Dante would have laughed. “You can’t tell me you’re not enjoying this Dante.”

“Fuck,” Dante ground out, teeth clenched. He was enjoying this, he couldn’t deny that, but he knew he shouldn’t be shame washed over him like cold water even as arousal boiled between his spread thighs. “Fuck, fuck fuuu-ck!”

His voice hitched, strained, trailed off into a desperate moan as Nero slid his lips slowly over the head of his shaft and Dante slid further down the seat arching into the heat of the boy’s mouth. His eyes had shut again – he couldn’t remember closing them – and stars burst in the darkness behind his lids as Nero nursed his aching erection sending electricity tingling up his spine.

“Nero,” Dante murmured trying to resist the urge to thrust into the boy’s mouth. “You have to stop this, Ah-God…”

Nero took him further in, to the back of his throat, the strong muscle of his tongue writhed against Dante’s straining flesh as the boy’s free hand wandered lower to fondle the man’s aching balls. Pre-cum tainted the boy’s tongue as Dante writhed in his seat, throwing his head back and pressing his cheek into the heated leather.

“S-shit,” Dante whispered trying to fight down the sensations. Nero would kill him. He didn’t want to take advantage of the kid, but under any other circumstance this would quite easily be Nero taking advantage of him. His muscles pulled taught beneath his flesh as he tried to tear his hands free. He could trigger, he’d stand a good chance of fighting it off if he did, but did he really want to? Nero’s hot mouth was making it difficult to find an answer to that question as the boy took him in further, his gag reflex under complete control even when Dante thrust in and hit the back of the boy’s throat.

Nero’s hand left his swollen balls, then the grip slipped from the base of his shaft and Dante made a sound – which wasn’t quite pleading – at the sudden loss of attention. The boy peeled the sweaty leather from his thighs, Dante not even registering that he obliged, aided, the sudden intrusion as Nero sucked hard on his swelling cock. When the sticky leather was bunched around his ankles Nero returned his attention to Dante’s tender sacks making the hunter bite his lip and throw his head to the other side, hair sticking to his sweaty face. The boy’s free hand slipped lower and slid down the cleft of his ass. Warm fingers probed between his cheeks, teasing the sensitive flesh of his opening as he worked to dilate the tight hole.

Dante’s body shuddered and he moaned deep in his throat when Nero buried a finger inside him, pushing in up to the third knuckle wasting no time adding a second. The world tilted dangerously as Nero stretched his tight hole, finger fucking him and sucking him off at the same time. It was nearly too much for the man as he slammed down on the invading digits trying to clear the fog from his mind and only succeeding in sinking further into the pleasurable delirium.

His release was fast approaching when the stimulation left him, Nero’s lips slipping from his cock and his fingers leaving his opening with a teasing flick around the rim. He grunted in annoyance, the sudden pain of being left unfilled and needing so badly to come. His eyes flickered open, squinting slightly in the light which suddenly seemed far too bright. He was about to try and voice a question and then Nero was on top of him again. The spectres hands held Dante in place as Nero, bottom half now completely naked, climbed onto the chair, kneeled in his lap and slammed down onto his cock without any preparation.

They both screamed, Dante in pleasurable rapture and Nero a hoarse pained cry which sent his head back as Dante’s length tore him open. Dante swallowed hard, feeling terrible and wonderful at the same time. His body arched up into the tight heat consuming him needing so desperately for the kid to move. He was in agony waiting for his release, teetering on the brink of orgasm.

Through the haze in his mind Dante barely registered the boy’s changing expression, the flicker of red in his eyes like static on a TV screen. The hands at his wrists seemed to grow lax, but the strength returned as quickly as it had disappeared and Nero rose confidently in his lap until his ass only gripped Dante’s cock by the thick head. He waited like that for a second, eyes never leaving Dante’s face, then slid back down. Nero’s body was tense, making him impossibly tighter as he swallowed Dante’s cock. The hunter let out a string of moans as Nero made to move again quickly settling into a rhythm as he bounced in the man’s lap.

“Oh fuck Nero,” Dante groaned thrusting hard, burying himself in the velvet heat. Nero ground down on his cock, small moans and cries of his own falling from his lips, his own erection now hard and dripping as he fisted himself in time to his movements.

Dante could feel his release building, muscles twitching as he tried to fight down his orgasm even though he knew it was impossible. Nero finally sent him over the edge, body shaking as he came, riding Dante’s cock hard, muscles clamping down around the man’s shaft almost painfully tight. Dante’s head flew back against the chair lost in the sudden wave of release as he came inside the boy with a sharp cry.

The boy leant; almost fell forwards into Dante’s sweaty chest as Dante’s hands were finally released, dropping limply to his sides. It took him a while to realize what that meant, then there was a low whine from the kid and he managed to open his eyes. Nero was breathing fast, panting desperately to stifle the pain.

“Oh god,” Dante hissed as he saw blood on Nero’s spread thighs. “Kid I’m sorr-”

Hands tightened around his throat; crushing his wind pipe. Dante choked, his own hands coming up to fight the boy’s away. “Don’t you fucking call me that, don’t you dare.”

Dante knew that he hadn’t quite been the helpless victim here and he was too proud to play the role anyway. He pried Nero’s hands away, the boy still weak from a mixture of pain, his orgasm and his trigger.

“Come on,” he whispered gently, wrapping his arms around Nero’s shoulders and easing him up slightly. Nero protested the movement as Dante’s soft cock slipped from his ass, burying his head in the crook of the elder man’s shoulder and biting down on the flesh to stifle a cry. Dante slid the boy back down into his lap, smoothed his hair soothingly. “Do you understand now?” he asked softly.

Nero nodded into his chest, confused and frightened all at the same time. He remembered better this time, remembered pinning Dante to the chair, sucking him off, the man writhing beneath his touch… The pain when Dante entered him had almost broken his trigger, but it had resumed control.

“It’s stronger,” he whispered, hating how pathetic his voice sounded. “The voices in my head…”

The fear in the kid’s voice worried Dante, he didn’t like it one bit, and what made matters worse was that he was the one who had caused Nero’s torment.

“It’s because of you,” Nero hissed, confirming Dante’s own fears as he pulled away again, wincing at the pain between his legs. He was pretty sure he was healing; he had become accustomed to it, but the throbbing pain was still there. “This is all happening because of you. You should have just left me alone.”

Dante nodded, his own guilt written out on his face. “Well you know what to do then, Kyrie will be happy you’re home early.”

“Oh no, I’m not leaving just like that,” Nero growled, the anger quickly dispersing the pain and fear in his voice. “I want answers now, and I’m not leaving until I get some decent ones.”

Dante sighed; he could hardly avoid the questions now. “Alright, but maybe we should get cleaned up first?”

Nero grumbled and nodded his consent allowing Dante to help him up, but refusing to let the man pick him up when he tried to. “I’m not some feeble woman you have to look after I can handle it,” Nero hissed slapping Dante’s hands away, despite the feeling he was about to topple over. “And I’m not falling for the sorry act either.”

The hunter took a step back raising his hands in surrender, slightly angered by the rejection. “Fine, look after yourself, have fun with the stairs,” he quipped turning away nonchalantly and tucking himself back in before doing his trousers up.

“I hate you,” Nero hissed trying to reach his trousers from his position resting against the desk. He bent down very slowly, the movement hurting far more than he would have liked, biting his lip as he retrieved his pants and tugged them back on.

Dante watched him hobble up the stairs with feigned indifference.

“I’m going to have a shower,” Nero called back down from the first floor. “You even think of trying anything-!”

“Yeah yeah,” Dante acknowledged with a wave of his hand heading for the kitchen in search of a towel to clean up the mess.


	4. Chapter IV

Nero cursed the man long after he had walked out of Dante’s ear-shot. He hurt, ached and something inside him stung far more than any physical pain he was in. This whole thing was messing him up, he didn’t know how he felt anymore, didn’t know who he was… There had been far more devastating events in his life, but this… it was different. He couldn’t fight this, the maelstroms of emotions threatening to tear him apart. It wasn’t something logical, something he could deal with and it scared him just that little bit more than he’d like to admit.

And somewhere muddled up in all this mess was Dante. He’d once thought he understood the man, now he wasn’t so sure. He didn’t even know how he felt about Dante anymore.

He shoved open the door to the bathroom, slammed it behind him and threw the bolt. Not that a bolt would stop Dante. If the man even thought of trying anything he was going to do something so unspeakable he couldn’t quite put it into conscious thought.

Nero’s wounds were healing fast, but the pain was still there as he eased his pants down ignoring the blood stains on the dark blue material. Soon his clothes were stacked neatly in one corner and he was staring at his naked form in the bathroom mirror. The red streaks tracking their way down his inner thighs made bile rise in the back of his throat. He’d done this to himself… somehow… and now he was beginning to worry what he’d done the night before when he triggered…

Instead of contemplating it he turned away, brushed the hair from his eyes and made his way to the shower. He was relieved that Trish lived with Dante to at least keep the mess in check. The bathroom was in no way top notch, scale building up around the taps cracks and rust staining the edges of the mirror, a chipped and broken tile here and there, but there were a few homely touches to it. Fresh towels, a fake house plant occupying one corner, the strong scent of fruit and lavender bathing products. The garish white of the room was offset by those few homely touches which made all the little flaws bearable. Something Nero was certain Dante would have never pulled off without a woman’s help.

He slid the shower door back, the panes of glass slipping smoothly past one another, stepped gingerly inside, closed the door on himself. Nero waited a second and listened, half expected to hear Dante somewhere outside, but the world beyond seemed quiet. He hoped Dante was alright and nearly laughed at the thought. Then he remembered the man half-begging for him to stop and felt the treacherous fingers of guilt grip his spine. Dante had enjoyed what Nero did to him just now, he could have stopped it if he had truly wanted to, but he wasn’t completely to blame.

Angry at his own deceitful thoughts Nero slammed on the hot water gasping as the heat seared his skin, then melting into the warm embrace. He raised his head into the water, let it soothe his tired eyes, smooth the hair back from his face. It became hard to think surrounded in the delicious heat, steam clinging to his clammy skin, the sensuous feel of the water clinging to him like a second skin…

Then the world was tilting, his ears buzzing and his vision blurred and flashed behind his eyes. Pleasure spiked through him as he was flung back into a thought, a memory, but not one he recalled living. Back on that rooftop from his dream, soaked with rain water, Dante – the boy – beneath him, shoved face first into the hard stone.

 _“You want this don’t you Dante? You fucking love it,”_ a voice he knew, but couldn’t grasp hold of, fleeing into the rushing water, the screams beneath him as he thrust into that tight heat.

The movement was unconscious as Nero’s Devil Bringer slid down to cup his semi-hard erection in hand, palming it, bringing it easily to full hardness, the water falling on his thick cock only stimulating him further.

His eyes were closed to only the thoughts in his head, back on the rooftop, as he reached out with a hand, a very human right hand to brush the tears from Dante’s cheek.

 _“Tears Dante, from you?”_ the hand moved up to his mouth licked the saltiness away, he could taste it through the rain water, the bitter agony on Dante’s face only serving to arouse him further. Heat pooled between his legs, shot to the very tip of his throbbing cock as his strokes became harder, faster, wanting so much more… _“Haven’t you learnt by now that you don’t deserve such a thing?”_

Dante gasped, yelled, scrabbled at the rocky ground below him, the bucking body forced Nero deeper inside and this time Dante cried out in pleasure the tears returning with a renewed vigor, streaking down his pale skin to become lost in the rain.

He was so close, pressing himself back into the wall, feet braced against the textured shower floor, eyes screwed tight shut, head back. Nero knew it was wrong, all wrong. These thoughts were disturbing, terrible; they were too real to just be fantasies, far too real.

As he teetered on the brink of orgasm his visions changed. The world slid again, his head snapping back to crack the tiles behind him, tossed and turned in sudden denial as his stomach churned threateningly and he held down the urge to vomit as a new memory filled his mind.

Dante, _his_  Dante, the unkempt thirty something man he knew, as opposed to the boy he had seen before, was screaming. Bound to the bed with his own leather belt, gagged by two spectral fingers. Blood slicked Nero’s entry into his tight ass as he gripped Dante’s hips hard enough to bruise, break a mortal man. He could hear himself taunting the man beneath him, playing with him, calling him a whore, dirty, sick… The words bounced around his head until he thought it might simply explode, the flickering half-memories bringing him to his peak as he thrust into his palm, screaming, coming hard over his hand and stomach.

Then he was sobbing, gasping for breath, finally throwing up, sinking down to the shower floor in a boneless heap. The world was spinning, everything was going faint and through it all he felt sick. Disgust curled bitterly in his stomach as he knew, suddenly understood it all so clearly. There was _something_  in his head, something screwing him up, _someone_ that knew Dante intimately, had broken the proud man and was now using Nero to get at him once again. Using _him_ to hurt Dante…

_“You know this is only the beginning…”_

“Get out of my head!” Nero cried, screamed voice hoarse as he punched at the glass caging him until it shattered around him, fell like rain into the streaming water. He couldn’t feel, couldn’t see. The room span, the light far too bright, too white, sanguine blurred the edges of his vision as the glass cut him open and he lay clutching the bare bones of his sanity in the scalding water.

The thoughts threatened to take over again, the memories of another mind blurring seamlessly into his own and Nero used the only coherent thought he had left. His hand sought blindly for a weapon, snatched a shard of glass in his human hand and turned it upon himself. He barely felt the jagged glass bite into the skin of his hand, or his arm, chest, cheek. His only thoughts were of driving the _thing_  from his mind, he didn’t register that he was screaming in agony, his head feeling as though it were about to explode.

* * *

 

Dante was mildly amused by the deep moans he could hear coming from the room above. Even over the running water he could hear Nero groaning and shouting. He was half certain the boy was doing it to wind him up, since when had a hand job been _that_ good? When he heard the kid say his name in a husky moan it was nearly too much; his hand snaked down to rub lightly over the bulge in his pants. He knew Nero would be livid, but how could he not be turned on by those delicious sounds, imagining what the kid was doing to himself…

Then the sounds changed and Nero was screaming. Proper pure out of your mind screaming which sent Dante scrambling from his chair so fast he nearly fell over. He swiped Ivory from his desk, stuck the gun in the waste band of his pants and tore up the stairs. Fear raced through him as he skidded onto the landing wondering what on earth was happening and worried that he already knew.

The door flew off its hinges and Dante burst into the room eyes wide with panic. It took him a moment to register the broken shower glass, the water spilling across the bathroom floor and then the bright red gleam of blood.

“Nero,” Dante breathed racing across the room, snatching the glass from the boy’s hand as Nero let it bite deep into his neck. The kid was out of it; shivering despite the scalding heat of the shower, slumped against the tiled wall half lidded eyes rolling back to show the whites. Dante didn’t need to be a doctor to know that the kid was having some kind of fit, he just wished he knew a little more about it so that he had some idea of how to help though he suspected there was something supernatural involved in all this. He grabbed the kid’s wrists in a vice like grip and embraced him at the same time wanting so desperately to protect him and not knowing how. “God no you bastard leave him alone.”

“Dante,” the boy gasped as he felt the strong arms wrap around his shoulders. He was barely conscious, the world before him blurred, spots dancing in front of his eyes.

“Come on kid its okay,” Dante shifted the boy in his hold, pulled him closer feeling the shaking form against his own. Nero’s hands came up around his back and Dante’s chin dropped to rest on the boy’s head holding him closer to him. He felt terrible; if he’d just left the kid alone none of this would have happened.

“Nero I’m so sorr-”

The man’s words cut off and he choked, blood slipping across his parted lips a second later as the bitter liquid filled his lungs. His eyes slid downwards to see the thick chunk of glass sticking out from his chest. Nero had yanked himself out of the elder man’s hold an evil glint in his eye, the hand at Dante’s back gripping the shard of glass as blood ran in rivulets across his hand. The boy had run him through with it in the only place which could truly do him any damage. His heart burned as it worked to keep his blood flowing, agony flaring through him with every beat.

His hand slid down to find Ivory’s textured grip his stomach churning as he drew the gun, pressed it into the boy’s clammy temple.

“Don’t make me use this Nero please,” his voice was pained and only a small amount of it stemmed from physical hurt.

Nero only smirked, there was a visceral squelch as the glass was shoved further into Dante’s flesh ripping through muscle and shattering against bone. The hunter cried out, his grip on the gun shaking as he tried to remain conscious thought and blood spilled into the back of his throat.

“ _Go on then shoot me_ ,” Nero growled eyes burning red as he twisted the glass savagely tearing the wound open wider.

Dante finally dropped Ivory, it didn’t matter; he wasn’t going to shoot the kid even if he had managed to keep a hold of it. He slumped forwards, gripped Nero’s shoulders to remain upright, breathing heavy. The boy’s face was twisted into a malicious grin, the blood streaking down from the self-inflicted wounds only adding to the macabre image.

“ _I knew it, you were always so pathetic Dante; those pesky little emotions got in the way again didn’t they?_ ” Nero hissed; face twisted into a dark expression which somehow didn’t fit the boy’s angelic features.

“Leave… him… alone,” Dante ground out then yelled as the make-shift blade was yanked downwards sawing through his flesh. Blood streamed down from the wound staining the water a deep crimson.

“ _Or what? Hmm Dante…? Are you going to hurt him?_ ”

“Nero,” Dante growled desperately. His hands came up to fight the boy’s away, gripped the glass in his palm drawing it from his chest. The boy was on him again in a second, pressing him down onto the shower floor driving the glass through his skin.

Dante cried out, then his cheek was torn open as Nero smacked him across the face with the devil bringer. He was out of options; he knew he was; Nero was going to do him some serious damage if he didn’t put a stop to this. It was becoming harder and harder to think with the wound to his chest and a blow to his skull which made spots dance in front of his eyes.

He closed his eyes, took a breath and triggered. Before he knew what he was doing he had Nero by the throat, ramming him back into the tiles so hard that they cracked around him. The boy howled in pain and then let out a pathetic whimper. It echoed dully around the broken room, water spattered the pair and splashed piteously to the ground, the only other sound was Dante’s rasped breathing.

They boy’s eyes slid open to reveal misty blue orbs, staring into Dante’s own flashing ones. The man gasped, loosened his grip and slid from his trigger in a matter of seconds. This time when he tried to pull the boy into an embrace Nero shoved him away leaning back against the cracking tiles.

“Don’t touch me,” the boy breathed and Dante didn’t know if it was a threat or a plea. “Please,” Nero lowered his head, voice faint as he slowly took in his surroundings. “Don’t touch me.”

“Nero-”

“No,” Nero cut the elder man off, voice harsher than he had intended. “No Dante after all the things I’ve done to you.”

“It’s just a scratch,” Dante said brushing the comment off as he trailed a finger through the blood on his chest, the wound already healed. He wanted so desperately to help Nero he honestly didn’t give a damn if he bled to death. This wasn’t the kid’s fight and he was the one sitting there naked and broken curled up in the corner of the shower. The snow-drift of hair had melted to his pale features, eyes bloodshot and haunted. Dante barely noticed the traces of white fluid still sticking to the boy’s abdomen and found the strength to brush the thoughts aside more concerned by the heavy traces of crimson.

“I don’t mean just that,” Nero whispered his voice was hard to hear over the sound of running water. “I mean _everything_  Dante. I remember it all.”

Dante shook his head slowly in denial, stood and shut off the water, turned to grab Nero a towel his footsteps crunching on the broken glass. “Nothing happened kid.”

“Dante I-”

“Nothing happened,” the elder man turned back to the boy, expression set into one of impassiveness. “ _You_ didn’t do anything Nero. This isn’t your fault. All that… it happened a long time ago.”

Nero swallowed down his reply, blinked through the water dripping from his hair, and turned his gaze on the demon hunter. He bit his lip. “What did _he_  do to you?” He didn’t mean for his voice to come out so quiet, pathetic, but he was worried about the elder man’s response.

Dante sighed, snatched a towel from the hand rail took it back to Nero placing it around the boy’s shoulders. He was aware of the kid’s eyes on him as he waited for a reply. Dante didn’t honestly know if he was capable of giving him one. So many secrets kept for so long, did Nero really _need_  to know…

“You don’t have to-” Nero began; Dante cut him off simply with a look.

“You deserve to know Nero, but let’s get you dry first alright?” Dante asked softly. “And then I’ll explain everything.”

* * *

 

Nero was sitting in the middle of Dante’s bed, legs hugged up under his chin as the elder man went to find himself and Nero a drink. Dante had given Nero some of his own clothes to wear, as the shower had leaked over the boy’s, they were a couple of sizes too big for him and he felt cozy and safe amongst the soft material. Dante’s scent ingrained into the cotton was comforting, he almost felt himself falling asleep when the man returned.

Dante handed him a beer, popping the cap off his own – he needed the alcohol right now – Nero found he was strangely nostalgic for a cup of hot chocolate and rested the cold beverage on the bedside table instead.

Dante sat in a chair in the corner opposite the bed, staring at a covered window and wishing he’d had the sense to draw the blinds as it would have given him something to look at. Instead his attention turned to Nero; the boy was still shaken after his ordeal. He looked pale and haunted, curled in on himself in the centre of the bed with his hair in his eyes. Had the situation been less dire the elder man might have told Nero how cute he looked, instead he kept silent and took a swig of his beer waiting for the uneasy silence to pass and not wanting to be the one to break it. The boy really was shaken up after what had just happened; it was strange for him not to be throwing an insult Dante’s way every two seconds.

“So,” Dante said at length when the deafening quiet had finally become just that little bit too pressing. “What do you need to know?”

Nero contemplated the question thoughtfully then raised his head, looked at Dante with those piercing blue eyes.

“Vergil,” he said, the name not sounding right in his mouth, “who is he? I mean I know… I know what he did to you, but I don’t know the full story…”

Dante dragged a hand through his hair and let out a sigh.

“Alright,” he said at length as he studied his hands. To be honest at that moment he didn’t know what to say, he felt sick; he was going to admit to something he’d never really told anyone. The girls had asked, taken some concern in his affairs and he’d told them parts of the story and then laughed it off quickly before the conversation could become overly serious.

            Nero shifted his head to rest his cheek across the top of his knees watching him intently. Dante noticed Nero was still hesitant around him; it made something in his gut twist.

            “This is kinda hard for me to say…” Dante trailed off, not knowing where to start. Did he begin with what had happened just now, Nero’s role in the story or with the night before? He took a breath. “Vergil is my brother – twin. I told you my parents died… well when they did we were separated. I thought he was dead.” He ran a hand through his hair, thinking, tugging on the strands hard enough to hurt. “I was in a care home for years; I think I was about sixteen when I escaped. And then Vergil found me… It’s rough for kids on the street; I knew it was I just wasn’t expecting how bad it could be…” He raised his head slightly to look across at Nero, suddenly feeling shame churn his gut. “Do I even have to tell you what happens to homeless kids out there?”

            Nero shook his head dumbly realization sinking in. He swallowed the questions he so wanted to ask refused to form on his lips. “They… You…”

            Dante looked away again unable to offer Nero any form of confirmation, staring dead ahead at a plaster chipped wall rather than looking at the boy’s horrified expression. “When Vergil found me I thought I was saved… But it turned out he was just like everyone else.” Dante let the air run out of him in a sigh, sucked in another breath. His throat was restricting it was becoming harder and harder to speak. His mouth worked silently for a second. “When he… when he took me he made sure I got off on it. And afterwards he called me ill, sick, whispered fowl words into my ear… tried to kill me.” He shook his head numbly. “The strange thing was I still loved him. I came running whenever he called… and then I killed him. We met again in hell and he walked off a cliff into nothing rather than staying with me.” Dante smirked ironically his eyes distant. “I thought he was dead until about five years ago. When I met Trish on Mallet island Vergil was there, but he wasn’t… I was too dumb to realise it was him until he was dead.”

            “Dante…” Nero breathed. He wasn’t afraid anymore, maybe he should have been, but how could he hate the man when he’d just told him something he’d never told anyone else; relived the more scarring moments of his life for Nero’s benefit… “It’s okay.” He didn’t honestly know if he wanted to hear anymore, the images of that young boy in his memories flashed through his mind. Dante’s expression now was a ghost of the torment he had seen written on the boy’s features.

            “No, it’s not Nero,” Dante replied firmly finally finding the courage to look the boy in the eye. “I could have done something terrible before… when I had you on the desk; and earlier when you were triggered… if I had wanted to I could have stopped it.” He drew in another breath; held it, let it out again. It was so hard to tear himself open like this, he’d never done it before, never spoken to anyone about his own feelings. He didn’t want to think about them, how everything had affected him. He was a demon, a legendary and feared hunter, not the little boy he had been years ago when his family was destroyed, when Vergil finally stole the last tattered shreds of his innocence.

            “Last night… I don’t remember saying Vergil’s name and I don’t know if it was all in my head, but last night…”

            Nero felt his heart skip a beat. He knew what he had done to Dante last night; he didn’t want to even think about it. The man was cracking, Nero could swear he saw the pieces all coming apart as he watched.

            “When you triggered…” Dante broke off trying to find the words. He didn’t want Nero to think it was his fault; he didn’t want the boy to hate himself either. “I noticed it before, but I didn’t want to pay attention. I told you that sword belonged to my brother, right? Your trigger… it _looks_ like him. And when you speak… it sounds like him too.”

            “The voices…” Nero breathed running up to clutch his forehead. “He’s in my head.”

            “I won’t let him hurt you,” Dante said firmly he closed his eyes, opened them again. “And that means you have to stay away from me.”

            Nero blinked, looked up. “W-what?”

            “It reacts to me,” Dante explained his expression strained as he looked at the boy. “Whenever you trigger around me… Vergil…” Dante paused again. “Whenever we fought… I think he always thought it’d be the last time, you know? Wanted to make sure it was memorable.” Dante shivered slightly at the memories and his own casual words. “Maybe it was just his pride, because he wanted to kill me inside as well as out. I think if I died smiling it’d have been the most infuriating thing for him.”

            Nero felt sick, “so… I might end up killing you?” _Or much worse..._

            Dante shook his head, “I doubt you _could_  kill me Nero, you’d have to put up one hell of a fight if you did.” Though the kid had come pretty close just now…

            “I’ll go,” Nero said suddenly, rising from his perch on the bed. “I’m sorry.”

            “It’s not your fault,” Dante began; he didn’t want Nero to hate himself.

            “It’s for the best,” Nero replied voice firm as he walked past, not looking at the man.

            “Nero,” Dante stood, caught the boy’s demonic arm, swung him round an uncharacteristically serious look on his face. “I don’t want you to hate yourself.”

            “I don’t,” the boy replied.

            “I don’t want you to hate me either,” Dante said voice softer, weaker than he would have liked. This _kid_  had the ability to mess his head up like no one ever had before. Not even Vergil had confused him _this_  much.

            “I don’t,” Nero repeated looking Dante in the eye a strange tone of seriousness in his voice as the elder man took a step closer.

            Dante flashed him a wolfish grin. “Would it be too much to ask for a goodbye kiss?”

            Nero rolled his eyes. “If you’re going to get all soppy on me I’m leaving _right now._ ”

            The elder man pouted, something that he was scarily good at, and laced his arms around Nero’s shoulders effectively trapping the boy against his chiselled abdomen. “You know I’m not the soppy type.”

            “Wanna bet?” Nero shot back, raising an eyebrow as Dante’s lips twisted into a grin. “What’s so funny?”

            “You’re angry, I like that,” he hissed leaning in to bite and suck on Nero’s earlobe. The boy didn’t try to push him away, but he didn’t encourage the attention either.

            “You’re intolerable,” Nero said exasperatedly as he rolled his eyes and let Dante trail kisses down his neck, pausing to suck on the pulse at the junction of his shoulder.

            “Would you like a goodbye fuck instead?” Dante smirked and Nero grabbed him by the hair with the devil bringer, yanked his head back.

            “No,” Nero said pointedly, ignoring the lust burning in the other man’s eyes. “I thought you just said we shouldn’t be together.”

            “Don’t tell me you don’t want this,” Dante replied with a sultry smirk as he let his hands slip up under the boy’s shirt, running his fingers in feather light circles over the boy’s nipples. Screw what they <i> _should </i>_ do; Dante wanted Nero again like he’d had him the first time, without Vergil fucking it up. Nero bit back a groan and the hold he had on Dante’s hair weakened.

            “I don’t…” But his voice trembled and quaked as Dante’s hands slid down his sides. Instead of speaking he crushed Dante’s lips to his wrapping his free arm around the man’s back whilst Dante’s hands found his buttocks, ground their bodies closer together. Despite the rough treatment there was something different about the kiss. They moved languidly, saliva slicking their lips as their tongues rolled over one another, exploring the secrets of each other’s mouths in greater detail than they had before. The slow pace made Nero’s spine tingle as he melted into the kiss, letting Dante gain control and fighting back lazily when the hunter thought he had won. Then Dante had him backed against a wall, lifting Nero’s leg up to increase the friction as he ground his hips into the boy’s below him. Nero moaned, feeling himself grow hard and cursing the man above him at the same time. He breathed desperately through his nose, forcing his tongue into the elder man’s mouth, biting into his lips. He didn’t know if it was an encouragement or a warning.

            Dante growled in approval, slid a hand between their bodies, rubbing strong fingers across the taught material of Nero’s pants. The boy shuddered, tore his mouth away from Dante’s about to protest. Instead his head hit the wall behind him and he moaned loudly, wantonly, that warm hand massaging him gently bringing him to full hardness and making his trousers impossibly tight.

            “We can’t…” the boy panted as the spots in front of his eyes slowly cleared. “I…”

            “It’s alright,” Dante leaned forwards, whispered into his ear. “I’ll go easy on you this time.”

            Any reply Nero had turned into a desperate moan as Dante’s hand left him with an encouraging squeeze.

            “Bastard,” the boy panted up into Dante’s gloating face. He didn’t want to admit it, but Dante had some bizarre power over him which he couldn’t quite explain. Nero had always been oh so slightly reserved when it came to sex – well more so than Dante had been at his age anyway – but one touch from the older man could turn him into a whore.

            “I love you too,” Dante replied with a wolfish grin leaning in to steal another kiss before resting his head in Nero’s neck, nipping and sucking at the soft skin. The boy wrapped his arms around Dante’s neck, the movement almost inadvertent as his leg slid down to twine around Dante’s own. The older man took this as an encouragement, thrusting languorously into Nero’s hips, moaning into the sweaty skin of the boy’s neck. “I want to fuck you.”

            The husky whisper went straight to Nero’s groin, his head hung back; breathing heavy. “The desk,” it was the only coherent thought he had and still he wondered at the sanity of it. If this was going to be their last time might as well make it memorable.

            Dante raised his head a curious expression on his face, then he let out a laugh. “You little pervert.”

            “You’re the one that wants in my pants twenty four seven,” Nero growled his demonic hand sliding round Dante’s back to his chest, pinching and teasing a nipple until it pebbled beneath his touch.

            “Touché,” the man breathed, drew in a gasp when Nero leaned forwards to attack his other nipple with his tongue, sucking and nipping on the hard nub, sending shivers down Dante’s spine. “The desk then?”

            Nero nodded clumsily; let Dante drag him down the stairs, across to his desk in a jumble of limbs and lips until he was pressed up against the hard wood again, the hunter’s heavy breath on his face. Dante’s hands worked over his chest, slipped beneath the edge of the second hand t-shirt and drew it up over the boy’s head, cast aside amongst fervent kisses from the man above him.

            Nero barely registered when his top half was naked and he was flipped onto his front, Dante’s strong hand on the back of his neck, forcing him down into the cool wood of the desk. Electricity coursed up his spine as he resisted, felt Dante press down harder, shoving his cheek into the polished mahogany. His trousers grew impossibly tight, feeling Dante dominate him like this, that firm grip on the nape of his neck, the hand reaching round to pop the button of his jeans, tearing the zip down.

             A gasp escaped his lips as his hard length made contact with the cool air of the room; Dante chuckled grasping the boy’s thick cock in the palm of his hand. “You just need someone to give you a good seeing to don’t you Nero? And you think I’m into kinky shit, you want me to spank you now or something?”

            The boy simply groaned as Dante continued to work his erection in his palm uncertain of whether Dante was serious or not. His trousers were slipped over his hips, the hand at his cock leaving him briefly to spread his legs wider apart. Dante dipped down, placed a kiss on the nape of his neck licked down his back, a trail of saliva in his wake. He bit the skin at the base of the boy’s spine then lapped at the wound apologetically.

            “I don’t want to hurt you again Nero,” he whispered a ring of truth in his voice which struck Nero somewhere deep, made him shiver.

            “You can’t hurt me,” Nero growled eyes straining at the edges of his vision to try and get a look at the other man. “Demon, remember?”

            “Yeah kid, whatever,” Dante smirked and slid down, onto his knees, his hands ran up and down the boy’s thighs then took a firm grip on his ass, spreading his buttocks. Nero wriggled and then mewled when a hot tongue lapped at his hole. His hands clenched around the edges of the desk, splayed legs quaking as Dante’s tongue coated him with saliva probing gently at the tight ring of muscle. 

            “Oh god Dante,” the boy breathed as the man’s tongue finally delved inside, the strong muscle working his entrance as the man’s hands continued to spread him open allowing a deeper entry. “ _God_ ,” Nero hissed, pushing back into the stimulation, as the elder man’s tongue began to explore deeper stretching and probing his tight hole. Dante’s tongue swirled, twisted and pulled out before shoving back in again, slicking his opening with saliva. Nero moaned deep in his throat, rolling back onto the heated muscle, wanting something bigger, deeper riding the man’s mouth as he fucked him with his tongue.

            Finally Dante pulled away, only to replace his tongue with a slick finger, pushing in farther than his tongue could reach, his free hand snaking round to pump Nero’s cock. A second digit slid easily into the stretched opening. Dante curled his fingers in Nero’s tight ass and the boy cried out as pleasure flowed through him. His body shook, toes curling as he ground his teeth together, Dante’s warm hand on his cock milked fire towards the head with each steady stroke.

            “Dante,” the boy gasped, finding it difficult to form words. “I-I’m going to come…”

            Dante smiled, slid back up Nero’s body pressing as much skin against the boys sweating back around the finger still fucking the kid’s ass. He cursed the material between them, needing to feel that tight heat around hi again as he whispered into the kid’s ear. “Come for me then Nero.”

            The boy groaned, muscles tensing, back arching against Dante’s chiselled abdomen. His body tensed, wound up like a spring and Dante was working him slowly towards his own destruction. The man’s fingers probed his entrance; found that spot inside him again, stimulated it mercilessly until Nero was bucking erratically, caught between the strong hand around his length and the penetrating fingers. Dante licked slowly down the lobe of Nero’s ear, dipped his tongue inside the delicate shell. The man’s breath on his neck and cheek drove him mad, Dante slid down the curve of his cheek, bit into the pulse of Nero’s neck.

            The boy came with a sharp cry, the world burning white behind his eyelids. Dante caught the scream with his own mouth sliding his tongue between the parted lips. Nero turned his head unconsciously to allow Dante better access, sucking on the elder man’s tongue, barely retaining the energy to keep his head up.

            Dante grinned into the kiss, feeling the boy’s walls clenching around his fingers as he milked Nero’s cock of the last pearly drops of cum. The boy collapsed limply onto the desk and Dante pulled away from the kiss, withdrawing his fingers from the boy’s ass.

            “Good boy,” he said softly, barely containing his own arousal as the kid fought not to slide from the desk altogether. It took Nero a few moments to compose himself, but slowly he pulled himself up, turned around, resting against the hard wood of the desk. Dante was leaning over him, hands resting on the desk on either side of the boy’s hips staring into Nero’s misty eyes with his own dilated ones. Nero could feel the man’s heavy breathing on his face, and let a sultry smirk grace his features. His hand wrapped around Dante’s own, fingers still laced with the Nero’s seed as he raised the digits to his mouth, slowly sucking them into the orifice eyes never leaving Dante’s face.

            The man’s eyes were fixed on his rosy lips as they slid up and down his index finger, then as a tongue slipped out to lap at the next digit. Dante let a deep groan rise from the back of his throat, his erection growing impossibly hard as he watched the boy.

            “You’re killing me here kid,” Dante said in a husky whisper.

            Nero slowly slid the finger he was tending to from his soft lips, flicking his tongue out to lap at the tip before replying. “I thought I told you not to call me that.”

            Dante smirked. “But you’re cute when you pout.”

            The devil hunter let out an uncharacteristic yelp when Nero’s devil bringer grabbed the bulge between his thighs and squeezed tightly. Then a breath sigh escaped him, “oh god Nero.”

            “And you’re cute when you beg,” Nero countered with a quirk of his head, still holding Dante’s fingers delicately in his own. He swirled his tongue around the man’s little finger, tasting his own seed on the man’s hand.

            “I’m not begging,” Dante panted suddenly finding it difficult to breath.

            “Oh you will be,” Nero hissed into the man’s ear finally dropping his hand to attend to Dante’s belt. It came away quickly and Nero cast it aside then ripped open Dante’s fly without a second thought. He smirked as Dante’s hard length slid from its confines leaning in teasingly close to Dante’s lips, looking up at the elder man through the bangs of silvery hair as he slipped his hands between the leather clinging to the elder man’s muscular hips. Nero was thoroughly enjoying teasing the elder man; he could feel the heat rolling off him in waves, knew how much Dante wanted to bend him over the desk and fuck him.

            Nero moved languidly, sliding the sweaty material down over Dante’s thighs, leaning his head in closer, lips ghosting across Dante’s own. His Devil Bringer dragged claw marks down Dante’s right hip, drew blood and Nero slid down just as Dante leaned in for a kiss, lapping apologetically as the blood as it bloomed from the wound. Nero pointedly ignored the devil hunter’s throbbing cock, licking all the blood away from the already healed wound before trailing up to Dante’s navel, dipping his tongue inside.

            Dante grunted in annoyance, hands travelling down to fist in Nero’s hair in case Nero hadn’t quite got the message. “Kid.”

            Nero grasped the elder man’s length, painfully hard and Dante bit back a cry looking down to the boy kneeling between his thighs. “I’ve told you not to call me that plenty of times Dante. I think you need to be punished.”

            “You’re a fast learner,” Dante chuckled, stroking the silky locks between his fingers, massaging the boy’s scalp encouragingly.

            The boy grinned, licking from the base of Dante’s cock up to the head, trailing his tongue along the throbbing vein on the underside. The man hissed hands tightening in Nero’s hair. He had nothing to lean against and remaining upright was becoming difficult when Nero finally took him into his mouth. His legs shook and his mouth hung slack, panting, as he watched Nero slide slowly up and down his shaft. He had to hand it to the kid; he was good at this and the fact that he was so unpractised, so very natural just made it better. He hated getting a blow job like it was some method straight out of a sex guide book. Nero just did what he felt, did what he liked gauging the elder man’s reaction, his only worry was Dante enjoying it just that bit too much and choking him with his ample length.

            Nero’s hands wandered across his thighs, stroking the firm muscles before going to grasp his buttocks when Dante wobbled where he stood as Nero increased the pressure sucking almost painfully hard.

            “Oh god Nero,” Dante moaned his arousal building steadily, eyes closed in pleasure.

            Hearing the elder man moaning his name sent electricity coursing down Nero’s spine. His soft cock was starting to work its way back to life as he watched Dante’s face. The man’s brow was creased, eyes closed, biting into his lip as he fought the urge to thrust into the boy’s mouth.

            Nero smirked wickedly, flicking his tongue across the weeping slit then abruptly pulling away. He swiped a hand across his mouth and stood back, ignoring his own growing arousal, too amused by Dante’s surprised expression. The bliss was slowly fading from the man’s face as confusion marred his brow. Nero pretended not to notice as he turned away as though something more interesting had caught his attention. He expected to feel Dante’s hands on him within seconds. The hunter had him by the shoulders, dragging him forwards.

            “What… Nero…?” The words came out as harsh pants, and Nero loved the need in the other man’s voice.

            “I told you Dante, you obviously need to be punished,” Nero smirked lips teasingly close to the elder man’s as he ran his fingers through the mussed silver locks.

            “Fucking… tease…”

            “Temper, temper,” Nero reprimanded in a sing song voice. He was in control now and he couldn’t deny he loved being in control.

            “Nero I need…” Dante’s hand slid down to grasp the boy’s ass, kneading the firm globes between his hands as his cock found the boy’s hip.

            Nero pulled the man’s hands away, danced out of reach when Dante tried to catch him again. “I told you Dante you’re being punished.”

            The man only growled, unsure of whether to follow or wait. Nero was playing a game with him, he knew the boy was up for another round, his half hard cock only confirmed the face, but Nero wanted Dante to come to him and they were both as stubborn as each other.

            “Fine then,” he hissed eventually letting a hand trail down to his hips. “I’ll see to it myself.”

            The boy hesitated a moment. He was new at this after all, Dante had more than likely been in the situation at least once before. He paused, scrutinized the elder man a second then shook his head, turned away giving Dante a good view of his ass as he made his way to the stairs.

            “Go ahead,” he called flippantly over his shoulder, half way up when Dante bolted after him and he broke into a slight run. He wasn’t sure where he was going; it didn’t matter anyway. They crashed through the bedroom door and Dante bundled him rather ungracefully to the bed, pinning the smaller form beneath him with his superior strength.

            “I think you’re the one who needs to be punished,” Dante growled into the boy’s ear as he pinned Nero’s slim wrists with one hand. “Getting a bit too cocky aren’t you?”

            Nero writhed against the sheets, he enjoyed being dominated like this, but he planned on giving as good as he got. Dante leaned in to capture the boy’s mouth in a bruising kiss and Nero thrust his tongue inside the elder man’s mouth. Dante slipped a hand between their bodies; spread Nero’s legs apart so that he could rest more comfortably between them. The boy tore his mouth away glowering up at the man above him.

            “Isn’t it my turn to be on top?” Nero asked eyes narrowed. If Dante thought he was going to be on the bottom all the time he had another thing coming.

            “Who ever said we were taking turns?” Dante said with a wolfish grin, using his free hand to raise the boy’s legs over his shoulders one after the other. “You need to be put in your place, kid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aha sorry to cliff-hanger this one. My files on this fic are all messed up and I seem to have lost a sex scene somewhere...


	5. Chapter V

Nero’s expression was livid, both from the ‘kid’ comment and from Dante’s arrogant manhandling. The Devil Bringer flared and his eyes blazed when he felt the head of Dante’s cock nudge against his opening. Nero was about to protest when a harsh gasp escaped him instead as the elder man’s cock slid past the puckered ring of muscle and into his ass. The entry was not as painful as any time before. Dante’s saliva oiled his way in and the preparation earlier was enough for him to adjust to the size quickly. He was still angry though at the sudden breach of his own well-being the lack of consent, the arrogance…

Dante grinned, with a 'cat who got the cream' expression on his face as he slid in up to the base, Nero’s expression of surprised pleasure only making him harder. He stilled when he felt his balls rest against the firm curve of Nero’s ass, fighting back a groan as he was once again lost in the tight heat.

“What’s the matter kid?” He panted, holding himself up with one arm, leaning over Nero, seeing the sudden burning anger in the boy’s eyes.

“You, you’re the fucking matter,” Nero ground out shifting under the man, the pressure of Dante leaning on him made it nearly impossible to unhook his legs and the man’s grip on his arms was strong. He planned on changing that though, he was waiting for just the right moment to land a hit, though Dante’s huge cock embedded in his ass was a tad distracting, especially when it scraped across his spot sending shivers up the boy’s spine.

“I thought you liked it rough?” Dante smirked. “Don’t want me to treat you like a helpless maiden do you?”

“No,” the boy growled. “But I would like to be treated like a human being.”

There was barely any warning before the Devil Bringer flared. Nero broke Dante’s grip on his arms, used all his strength – and will power as the movement made Dante’s cock press hard against his spot – to raise himself up and punch him across the face. Dante’s cheek split on the force of impact and he slumped a little before righting himself, grabbing Nero’s wrists in a hand each this time, pinning him on the rebound.

“Maybe you shouldn’t be treated like a human, because you’re not human Nero, you’re a demon just like me,” Dante whispered huskily lips hovering over the boy’s own.

“I’m nothing like you,” Nero spat, his erection flagging slightly. Teasing had turned into bitter anger; the mood had turned sour. “Get the fuck off me.”

“Make me,” Dante hissed. He knew Nero was angry, though maybe he had underestimated how angry, the boy had an ability to over-react. He was just being pissy because Dante hadn’t done what was fair – and like he was going to after what had happened last time.

The hunter had, of course, underestimated the boy when Nero unhooked his legs wrapped them around the man’s waist and rolled Dante onto his back.

“Oh,” Dante’s expression of surprise quickly turned into a grin and then a moan as the new position forced him further inside the boy. He arched up into the tight heat wanting to fuck the kid hard, now. “Well if you feel better this way…”

Nero slapped him again. “Shut up.”

“You seriously need to work on your anger issues,” Dante said with narrowed eyes as he rubbed the burning spot on his cheek, inadvertently smearing blood on his hand and face. Normally he took this sort of abuse fairly good naturedly. Lady sometimes smacked him as a form of greeting, but a punch from Nero hurt like hell. Not that he was ever going to admit that it hurt, but Nero couldn’t just use him as a personal punching bag. Dante looked up, realizing that the boy was staring down at him. Why couldn’t they have this argument afterwards? His cock was painfully hard; he needed the kid to move. He knew how pissed off Nero would be if he tried to do anything. “What?” He asked hotly when the boy’s glare became too much for him to ignore.

Nero leaned forwards and Dante let out a strangled moan as that tight heat got impossibly tighter. He forced his eyes open, fisted the sheets beneath him to stifle the urge to thrust further inside.

“What am I to you?” Nero asked quietly, his voice softer, the anger leaving him as quickly as it had come.

“Didn’t I already answer this question?” Dante asked voice strained. Was Nero deliberately torturing him or was it just a natural urge?

“And your answer is the same?” Nero questioned, voice sounding almost disappointed. Dante was normally pretty good at reading people, but the position made it hard to formulate a coherent thought.

“Nero…” Dante’s voice was strained as the kid sat back a little once again shifting his cock further inside. “I can’t think like this.”

The boy’s mouth twisted, his eyes flared. “Fine,” he growled pushing himself up and off Dante’s length, making Dante groan at the sudden loss of heat. The boy sat back glowering at the man as Dante fought down his arousal, tried to understand what the hell was happening.

“What’s the matter kid?” Dante asked trying to sound concerned. He was concerned, but he was certain his motives weren’t altruistic. “Can’t it wait?”

“No you dumb fuck it can’t wait,” Nero hissed his Devil Bringer flaring. He wanted to hit something, preferably Dante. The boy crawled forwards sat between Dante’s spread legs staring him in the eye. “After everything that’s happened am I just some cheap fuck? Do you even care how I feel?”

Oh so he was just sore because Dante hadn’t let him be on top… “Look you can be on top if it’s bothering you that much.”

“That’s not the problem,” Nero snapped temper quickly reaching boiling point yet again. He hated Dante right now, but he still felt something deep in his chest, something which was going to break if Dante didn’t reciprocate his feelings.

“Right,” Dante said softly, he pulled himself up against the head board, partly because Nero staring down at him like that was oddly intimidating. “So do you want to tell me what is?”

“I…” Nero paused, bit his lip, he could hardly blame the man for his behaviour if he had asked what was wrong. But now Nero didn’t think he could give him an answer, more than that he was scared… scared to admit his own feelings. “How do you feel about me? Us…?”

Dante stared at the kid eyes wide taking in every word and coming up with the only possible outcome. Oh shit. This was what Trish had been talking about, warned him about… “Are you trying to tell me you love me?”

The boy opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out, staring blankly at the man opposite him. “It’s only been a day…”

“I take it you don’t believe in love at first sight then?” Dante asked a grin quirking the corners of his mouth.

“No,” Nero licked his lips. Dante had torn himself open for Nero’s benefit earlier now if he didn’t want this to end in disaster he was going to have to do the same. “No, I mean… We haven’t had a conversation which doesn’t end in sex or a fight,” or both, “two of those times I haven’t been myself… and… didn’t it hurt you? Remembering all that? How can you look at me and not see him?”

“Ah,” Dante said trying to think past the arousal still throbbing in his veins. The kid picked a very bad time for counselling. “Yeah we have a pretty fucked up relationship huh?”

Nero nodded, sighed, looked away from the man’s face. “Dante, I don’t love you,” no, love was a pure emotion which fitted no where in his relationship with the elder man, “but… if you’re just screwing me for the sake of it…”

Dante smiled softly, a genuine smile this time; he rested a hand on Nero’s knee. “It’s alright kid I understand. You’re the best fuck I’ve had in ages.”

Nero’s face went red with both anger and sudden embarrassment. 

Dante cut him off before Nero could start yelling again… or punch him… “Kidding, I like you and it’s got nothing to do with how good the sex is… though I have to admit…” He moved slowly, pulling himself up to capture the boy’s lips in a quick kiss. “I do like the bonuses.”

The boy smiled and felt himself melting once again as Dante leaned in for another kiss, deepening it, sucking on the boy’s tongue as he felt saliva coat his lips. It was intoxicating, he was intoxicating. Nero had been furious a moment ago and now he felt it all falling away until nothing mattered but Dante and the need once again stirring in his gut. Kyrie, Vergil, all his worries seemed so trivial now that he was in Dante’s strong arms. He barely noticed that he had been lowered onto his back, slung his arms around Dante’s neck in a dream like state, legs entwining with the man’s above him.

This time when Dante entered him he moaned wantonly, strong thighs wrapping around the hunters back, dragging him in deeper. He wanted Dante inside him like this forever, filling him so completely…

He tore his head away as his back arched into the body above him, pleasure rippling down his spine as Dante pulled back, slid inside again agonizingly slowly. Dante groaned as Nero clenched around him, asking for more and making it hard for the elder man to keep his cool.

“God you’re tight,” he grunted. Even after the finger fucking earlier the boy was almost painfully tight. His demonic healing and recuperation had some great side effects. He pulled out slowly until Nero’s ass was only clinging to the thick head of his cock then slid back in again right up to the base until his swollen balls met the curve of the boy’s cheeks. Nero let out a desperate moan, tossing his head frantically against the sheets, clawing at Dante’s sweat slicked back. It felt disgustingly good and Dante knew it. Nero let out a keening moan, arched his hips upwards grinding down on the cock inside him.

“Move damn it,” the boy hissed in frustration as Dante ground against his spot agonizingly slowly.

“Not until you beg,” Dante whispered in the boy’s ear drawing his hips back for a shallow thrust. Nero cried out as the head of Dante’s cock pressed against his prostrate, his toes curled and he bit his lip. Dante’s hands on his hips forced the boy further onto his straining length, ass stretched to accommodate the girth of the demon hunter’s pulsating cock. One of the hunter’s hands slid up his side, stroking the smooth skin before running across his chest, tweaking a nipple until it grew erect beneath his touch. Nero groaned and writhed beneath him then gasped as Dante lowered his head sucking the hard nub into his mouth and working it gently with his tongue. Nero’s hands slid up to fist in Dante’s hair holding the man’s head to his chest, throwing his head back when Dante rubbed his spot vigorously. Dante trailed his tongue up the boy’s chest to his neck; Nero let him, in a trance as the man nipped and sucked on his collar bone, a bruise forming beneath his wicked mouth before those wet lips moved up to whisper in his ear:

“I want you on your knees,” he licked up the shallow curve of the boy’s ear, dipped his tongue into the shell. He slowly slipped his cock from the boy’s ass, Nero moaned in protest, eyes closed, sweat slicking his shivering form.

“Dante…?”

The elder man pressed a finger to the boy’s lips silencing him. Nero was putty in his hands and he loved it, loved knowing that in these brief moments when Nero would submit he had the power to make the boy do anything. He could reduce Nero to nothing but a whore and the boy would comply to his wishes just to feel Dante’s thick cock inside him. Dante was very much in control and Nero obeyed willingly because somewhere buried inside the boy was something which secretly wanted to be tamed and Dante loved putting Nero in his place more than anything.

The man licked the boy’s cheek, pressed a quick kiss to his parted lips. “Get on your knees Nero, then I’ll give you what you want.”

The boy complied, Nero knew Dante had won, there had never been any question that he would and quite frankly he didn’t care. He didn’t mind doing what Dante wanted; he got just as much pleasure form it as the man above him did.

He hauled himself up fighting away the weakness in his limbs to position himself on his hands and knees with his back to the man, perfect ass in clear view.

Dante smirked, crouched behind the boy inspecting the puckered hole, stretched and glistening with precum. He reached for the dresser draw; fumbling in it for something he knew was there, something he used when he so desperately needed something inside of him, just to give him that small feeling of completion. Nero, who had previously been facing the opposite end of the room had his head craned round to see what the man was up to.

The elder man smiled at the boy’s worried expression. “Don’t worry kid, I was going to use this on you, but I enjoy fucking you too much so I’ve got a better idea.” He beckoned for Nero to turn around and the boy obeyed, kneeling in front of Dante and fighting back his own urges as the man pulled himself back a little until he was resting against the head board. He held the vibrator out to Nero and the boy took it hesitantly as Dante pulled his knees up. “Get it inside me and then we can continue.”

Nero was speechless for a moment as Dante leaned back further exposing his tight hole to the boy’s view. “A-are you sure?”

“Why the hell wouldn’t I be?” Dante grinned as Nero examined the object in his hands with slight wonder and apprehension. He loved these moments when he could just sense how innocent Nero was, it made taking him all the more satisfying. “If I could have you inside me and take you at the same time I would, but seeing as I can’t,” he nodded towards the vibrator. “Well…”

Nero nodded suddenly feeling that little bit more confident as he watched Dante settle back into the pillows eyes dark and lidded. He leaned forwards, resting on his demonic arm so that he could capture Dante’s lips in a deep kiss. Nero forced his tongue into Dante’s mouth and Dante groaned legs inadvertently parting to allow Nero further access. The boy pulled back and Dante sucked on his bottom lip until he finally drew away completely.

“I love you like this,” Nero whispered into Dante’s mouth thoroughly enjoying his small moment of control over the elder man.

Dante smirked. “Well enjoy it whilst you can kid.”

The boy smiled and his eyes flashed mischievously. He dropped the vibrator on the bed in order to carefully suck his fingers into his mouth, sitting back a little so he could use his devil bringer to stroke his aching cock just enough to keep him on edge. A soft sound escaped Dante’s lips as he watched, hands twitching with the urge to touch himself though for some reason he knew Nero would stop him from doing so. Not that the boy could stop him if he really wanted to. They both knew Dante could turn the tables in a second, but both enjoyed the little charade.

When he was happy that his fingers were wet enough he returned to his previous position, this time nibbling on Dante’s collar bone whilst his wet fingers circled the man’s entrance. Dante let out a sharp sigh and his head rolled back to expose his creamy throat to Nero’s mouth. The boy felt his cock jump at the show of submission then nearly came when a string of whimpers and moans left Dante’s lips as the boy pressed a finger inside the small hole. He added a second finger quickly, his own desperation making him far more decisive than the last time he had pleasured Dante in this way.

Dante panted heavily feeling Nero’s slicked fingers worming their way inside him, stretching and twisting until finally they found his spot. He cried out wantonly, pushing down onto those fingers. He had half forgotten what he was doing, simply needing something inside of him as his walls spasamed around the boy’s probing fingers.

“Dante.” 

The boy’s soft voice brought him from his thoughts; just enough to crack an eye open and utter a confused “mm?”

“Have you got any lube? I… tried, but it looks like it might be painful and um…”

Dante smiled at the boy’s concern as he dragged his head forwards for a silencing kiss. “Don’t worry about it.”

“But before…”

“I’ve taken that thing plenty of times without proper lube I can do it again,” Dante stated matter-of-factly. He pressed his ass down onto Nero’s fingers, which were still resting gently against his spot. “Now get on with it kid.”

Nero nodded, pulled back a little once again to collect the rivulets of precum on his weeping erection then slicking the vibrator with it as best he could. Despite Dante’s assurances Nero was still worried about hurting him – especially after what happened last time – the vibrator was a good size and Nero winced as he slowly slid it inside.

Dante let out a shout hands fisted in the pillows he was resting against hips bucking onto the tip as Nero worked it inside him, far too slowly. They’d both been waiting far too long for their release – Dante especially – there was no time for being careful.

“Nero,” Dante hissed searching blindly for the boy and pulling him into a passionate kiss when the vibrator was halfway inside. Nero bit lightly into Dante’s lips, sucked on his tongue slowly sliding the vibrator the last of the way in then pausing a second before flicking the switch on the base to turn it on.

Dante’s cry was lost in their kiss, body quivering as he thrust down out of instinct though it did nothing to aid his release. His hands tangled in Nero’s hair tongue still exploring the boy’s mouth as he groaned and writhed against the sensations inside of him. It was mind numbing, he could barely think around the pleasure spiking through him and the pain of being unfulfilled. His cock ached, dripping with cum and his hand snaked down to tend to it when Nero caught his wrist, drawing away from the kiss simultaneously.

Nero smiled watching Dante arch and moan on the covers, muscles spasaming, toes curling, eyes screwed tight shut. He was in a place between torture and ecstasy and Nero highly doubted he knew what he was doing anymore. He moaned in the back of his throat, cries escalating when Nero’s human hand wrapped around his weeping cock. The boy grinned and straddled Dante’s thighs, positioning himself over the man’s throbbing cock. Dante was growing steadily closer to his release and Nero didn’t plan on being left unfulfilled.

He focused on the man’s face as he sank down onto Dante’s erection, swallowing him deep inside. Dante arched up into the sudden heat, head snapping back into the pillows.

“Oh Nero, oh god,” the words were choked with moans and a sound similar to pleading; Nero loved it. He let out his own sharp cry knowing that half the neighborhood could probably hear them by now. He raised himself up carefully, then Dante’s hands found his thighs, slammed him back down onto his hard cock. Nero groaned, eye’s locking with Dante’s own misted ones. He did love Dante like this, in such a secret moment between the two of them when Dante was no longer in control. He knew he wasn’t the first – and probably wouldn’t be the last – to see the man in the throes of passion, but how many people had seen him so completely out of it? His guard was down; there were no snappy one liners, no commands, only wanton groans and harsh pants escaping his parted lips. 

Nero let out another cry of his own, rolled his hips pressing down onto Dante’s cock, leaning forwards for another kiss, back arching when the new angle forced Dante to press into his spot. His walls clenched instinctively and Dante threw his arms around the boy’s shoulders fingers clawing at his back. Nero felt Dante twitch inside him, thrusting hard and knew that he was seconds away from coming. The boy snaked a hand down, tugged desperately at his own cock pushing himself to the brink as Dante bit into his shoulder and came with a harsh cry shooting his load inside Nero’s clenching ass. 

The boy screamed seconds later, coming hard over his hand and their stomachs as his walls tightened around Dante’s cock. The elder man was still jerking inside him, it was only when Nero had calmed down a bit that he remembered the vibrator and had enough sense to reach back and turn it off before Dante could get too worked up again. Then he collapsed on top of the elder man basking in the afterglow of his release for he didn’t know what number of times that day. He’d lost count since the day before, now every moment he shared with the man seemed to blend together into some blissful euphoria.

He was suddenly struck by the terrifying thought that he’d have to leave… that he still loved Kyrie… that suddenly he didn’t know how he felt about the man laying panting beneath him…

The boy sat up quickly, rolling away from Dante, grunting slightly as he pulled free and tried to move away. Dante sensed the sudden urgency in the boy and managed to clear his head enough to grab him around the waist and drag him back into the bed. Nero tried to shove his hands away, but Dante was persistent and eventually the boy relented letting Dante drag him back into the bed, his body spooning behind Nero’s.

“What’s the matter kid?” he asked breathlessly. Nero could feel Dante’s heart beat through the man’s chest; it was strangely comforting.

“I…” Nero didn’t know what he wanted to say anymore.

“You’re worried about Kyrie?” Dante said after a pause resting his chin on the kid’s shoulder.

Nero closed his eyes suddenly tired. “Maybe.”

“You love her,” it was a statement, not a question. Dante knew he loved her, he’d seen it when he left them together in Fortuna. “This doesn’t change that.”

“How can you say that?” Nero jerked angrily in Dante’s hold, but the man didn’t let go. He tried to get a look at his face, but that also proved impossible. “She’ll know…”

“Well I won’t tell her,” Dante said coyly pulling Nero closer to him.

“That’s not the point,” Nero growled, wondering if Dante did this to everyone he met. He had been perfectly happy with Kyrie and this… demon had tempted him away from that life. He knew somewhere that he’d never feel the same again, that he wouldn’t be able to look at Kyrie without knowing what he’d done to her. “You’ve screwed everything up.”

“Why?” Dante asked softly. “Because I’ve shown you a few things about yourself, is that so bad?” He kissed the skin of Nero’s shoulder, the boy shied away. He hated how he was like this, in love one moment then cold the next. Something inside Dante was hurt if only a little, he cared about the boy, he never wanted to hurt him, but he was always blamed afterwards when the lust had died down. What right did Nero have to use him then change his opinion like that? He knew the boy was confused, but hell he was starting to feel the same way. “Look kid what am I supposed to say it’s not like you were protesting…”

Nero sighed softly, ran a hand through his hair. Once again that bliss was slipping into the more uncomfortable feeling of awakening to reality. “I don’t know; I just don’t want to hurt her.”

Dante smiled slightly at the sad honesty in the boy’s voice, placed a kiss on his cheek. “You’re not going to; this was the last time remember? I’ll take you home tomorrow.”

“This never happened?” Nero whispered softly, turning his face to watch the older man over his shoulder.

Dante nodded as best he could, claimed the boy’s lips in a soft kiss. “It never happened.”

There was silence for a long while after, Dante still had the vibrator inside him, he didn’t particularly care, he’d slept with it inside him before, but he wanted a deeper feeling of completion tonight.

He kissed the boy’s neck tenderly. “I want to be inside you… just for tonight.”

Nero’s immediate reaction was to reject the man, but then he shook his head too tired to start up an argument again anyway and nodded his consent. Dante pushed inside of him slowly, carefully, until he was rested up to the base, then let out an explosive sigh and pulled the boy closer to him. The feeling was strange at first, but Nero quickly found that he didn’t mind, in fact it was oddly comforting having the man inside him as he drifted in and out of sleep’s waiting arms.

“Dante?” The boy whispered eventually, half expecting the man to be asleep.

“Yeah,” Dante replied softly, his voice coming from right next to the boy’s ear, sending an involuntary shiver up his spine.

“I was wondering,” Nero started, voice quiet. “H-how could you love him? Vergil I mean, after all that?”

Dante smiled slightly, eyes wistful. “Love like that… I can’t explain it, it’s the same as you and Kyrie isn’t it? No matter what you’d love her even if she hurt you.”

“Yeah,” Nero replied feeling a pang of guilt, because he was the one hurting her.

“Vergil… I suspect somewhere he loved me too… he should have killed me, but he didn’t and he had so many chances,” Dante continued. “Maybe that’s why he hated me so much. Human emotions and all that, maybe if he convinced himself it was something carnal he could cope with it better,” he laughed, it was a laugh Nero had become accustomed to; a false laugh which told him Dante wanted to drop the subject. “It’s all over now though, it doesn’t matter.”

“But he’s still…”

“He won’t hurt you,” Dante whispered his hold tightening instinctively. “I promise you that, I won’t let him,” even if it means I never see you again, “now get some sleep.”

Nero yawned and pressed back into Dante’s strong embrace, feeling his well toned abs against his back. This was perfect, he had to admit, he’d never felt more safe, more at home… How had everything suddenly become so confusing?


	6. Chapter VI

            Nero groaned wantonly, unashamedly, as he was slammed into the hard wood before him, cheek pressed against polished mahogany, Dante ramming inside him. The man was riding him like a stallion would a mare and he loved every dirty second of it. There was something so raw and untamed about Dante so very powerful lying dormant behind the human visage and Nero knew it better than anyone else. He was moaning everything and anything, crying out as Dante pounded his spot with the swollen head of his cock. The man bent over, whispered in his ear, commanded Nero to touch himself and the boy obeyed reaching down to stroke his own aching cock. Anyone could walk in right now to see them rutting like animals, Nero bent over Dante’s desk, the man with his hands clamped onto the boy’s hips giving him purchase and Nero jerking himself off, howling his pleasure into the heated room.

            “Dante,” the boy panted pressing back onto the thick length he was impaled on. “Harder.”

            The hunter obliged with a grin, pressing his sweating chest to Nero’s back as he pounded into Nero’s welcoming ass. The boy could feel himself reaching the brink, eyes screwed tight shut, lips parted to let harsh pants and soft cries escape. Dante moved his fingertips to cushion Nero’s hips from the sharp edge of the desk, sucking on the pulsing artery of the boy’s neck and rolling his hips to grind down on Nero’s sweet spot. The boy thrashed beneath him, the clawed fingers of the devil bringer gouging grooves in the polished wood of the desk as the boy screamed.

            Nero threw his body back to impale himself on Dante’s cock, yanking on his own length as he came hard over his hand. Dante followed soon after with a long, drawn-out moan and Nero groaned as he felt the man’s cum coat his insides.

            “I love you,” Dante whispered into his ear and Nero was so taken aback that his eyes shot open. Before he could utter a word Dante caught his lips in a soft kiss. When they parted Nero was breathing heavily eyes dark.

            “I love you too,” the whisper left his throat just as the doors swung open, throwing bright sunlight across the room and stinging Nero’s eyes. It took him a moment to comprehend what was happening and when he did his heart jumped into his throat. “Kyrie?”

            The girl was standing there, eyes wide and full of hurt a hand covering her mouth. Nero didn’t even want to think about how this looked to her. Heck he couldn’t really deny that it was anything else than what she saw, but seeing her like that tore his heart in two. Dante was still laying atop him, for once the hunter remained silent and Nero tried to push the man’s hands away and stand up.

            “Kyrie…” But she had already turned away, eyes disbelieving, and before Nero could even think to move she was running. “Kyrie!” 

* * *

 

            In retrospection sleeping like this might not have been the best idea. But how was Dante to know the kid would decide to have a bloody wet dream whilst he was still inside him? Half of the time he didn’t know whether Nero was a blessing or a curse. Everything about their relationship seemed so completely out of place and he still didn’t know what to feel about the boy. He also had no idea how Nero felt about him. Dante knew the kid didn’t want to be used, he could tell, the boy was highly strung that way – or had been to begin with – and he understood that. He didn’t think of the kid that way anyway, he wouldn’t have done all this to him if he did, but to be honest he didn’t know why he had taken a liking to Nero. He had simply felt the building tension between them and done something about it. The whole thing was developing beyond his control and he didn’t know how he felt about the kid leaving anymore.

            That was another thing he had to remember – though Nero was making it hard to think once again as he pressed back onto Dante in the midst of an erotic dream. Dante wondered what the boy was thinking about and was slightly surprised at the idea he would be jealous if it were someone else. He doubted it, the past day or so had been a strange mixture of fighting and fucking, how could Nero not be thinking about him? His brow furrowed, he was not being childish enough to be jealous of whoever Nero was dreaming about – if it wasn’t him of course. He knew Nero had a girlfriend after all it wasn’t exactly the time to start getting protective of the kid.

            Which led him back to his first thought… Nero was still very young. Dante didn’t like to admit it, but the boy had to be at least ten years his junior and normally he wasn’t bothered by his responsibility in situations, but this overly protective feeling which was setting in… He 

suddenly realized that he was concerned about how the boy felt; he was worried that he’d caused Nero suffering and he suddenly realized with a frightening clarity that he would miss the kid when he left. They had a screwed up relationship, it wasn’t a fairytale and they had most certainly gotten off on the wrong foot, but how could he keep himself away from the boy when he seemed drawn to him? How could he drive him home knowing he might never see him again?

            Suddenly he was glad of the boy’s obvious predicament as it drew him away from his own depressing thoughts. Nero had tightened around him, ass clenching his cock which was – despite Dante’s best efforts – coming to life under the stimulation. Nero moaned softly, head rolling feverishly against the pillow, hands grasping at the covers and sheets, searching for something which wasn’t there. It was endearing to watch the kid caught up in something so secret, uninhibited for once by his fickle emotions. He was beautiful lost in his own fantasies with soft unintelligible whispers falling from his lips amongst harsh pants and quiet moans.

            Dante drew in a sharp breath when Nero rolled back against him, pressing his sweat slicked back to Dante’s muscled chest. The hunter’s own body was responding quickly now, he honestly didn’t know what to do – or whether what he wanted to do coincided with what was right anyway. If he woke Nero up the boy would be embarrassed and aroused and Dante would have to try and occupy his mind with something else whilst the kid went to see to himself in the bathroom. Then again if the boy awakened when he was done and noticed Dante was also awake would he be even more annoyed? Aside from that Dante didn’t honestly know if he had the willpower to stop the boy.

            So he let his hand trail down the curve of the kid’s hip, from where it had been resting this whole time, until his fingers found the hot flesh of Nero’s arousal, ghosting lightly over the boy’s straining length. Nero was obviously close, he could tell by the way the boy’s ass clenched around his cock every couple of seconds, the precum spilling from the dripping head of the boy’s arousal and the way his breathing was steadily picking up pace.

            When a harsh “Ah Dante,” escaped the boy’s lips Dante had to bite his tongue and choke back a feral growl. He was hard again inside the boy, feeling his cum coating Nero’s bowels and enjoying the tight heat clamped down around him. Nero pushed back onto him then his hips jerked forwards slightly, movements slowly translating from sleep to the waking world as he slid back down onto Dante’s cock, pressing his ass against the elder man’s pelvis as Dante’s fingers curled lazily around the crown of his shaft. He enjoyed the idea that some of what he was doing to the kid was registering in his own delirium, suddenly wishing he could share that private moment with the boy.

            “Harder,” the boy whispered into the pillow and Dante felt his cock jump at the idea of pounding into the boy. Instead he contented himself with collecting the boy’s precum on his fingertips and sucking them into his mouth whilst his other hand reached back to play with the vibrator still in his ass. He flicked it to the lowest setting – which thankfully was almost impossible to hear – and ground it against his spot trying to quell the urge to thrust inside the boy.

            “Dante,” the boy hissed again, making Dante bite down on the fingers in his mouth. He must have been doing this on purpose, but he wasn’t, still in the grips of sleep as he shifted once again on Dante’s cock. “Fuck me.” The words were mumbled, but Dante heard them clear as day. He pressed the vibrator against his spot, wanting to come and knowing that when he did it would wake the boy. He didn’t think he could stop himself though and besides Nero was getting just as much pleasure from it as he was. Once again Nero was guilty, and this time it was all in the boy’s head, he just wished he could see what was going on in there.

            Dante’s fingers left his mouth to slip back beneath the bed-sheets and drifted down to the boy’s cock once again. Braver this time he slowly curled his fingers around the pulsating flesh and then slid them lightly down to the base and back up. The boy let out an explosive sigh and a whimper shifting back to impale himself further on Dante’s cock.

            “Yes,” the words were quiet and spoken into the pillow. He wondered how normal it was for the boy to talk in his sleep and decided that the realism of the situation probably helped though he knew he himself could be rather vocal when caught up in dreams. One such dream not long after they had left Fortuna had involved Nero and he’d gotten so riled up that Trish actually dared to invade his personal space and try to smother him with a pillow. Maybe it was her demonic side, but the woman had no idea about personal space or privacy. 

            Needless to say Dante had been embarrassed and she had teased him about it for a while after.

            He had to hold back a moan when Nero clenched hard around him, muscles twitching and his cock jumping. Dante knew he was about to come and brought himself to the brink as well wanting the boy to come first in case he disturbed his fragile delirium.

            “God,” Nero groaned and then his body jerked wildly, slammed back onto Dante’s length, sweaty back arching and his head pressing against the man’s shoulder as his muscles clenched and he came in Dante’s hand and across the bed sheets.

            Dante growled low in his throat and let go, filling Nero to the brim with his hot seed until he felt it on their thighs and the boy’s ass. It was a strangely surreal orgasm which left him twitching and panting, waiting for the angry onslaught before he realized the boy hadn’t awakened. In fact he was turning his head into the pillow mumbling sweet nothing’s until some proper words came out which made Dante’s stomach twist painfully.

            “I love you.”

            He swallowed hard and pulled back slowly, careful not to wake the kid as he pulled out and mentally chastising himself as he watched cum leaking from the boy’s hole. He reached back and removed the vibrator with a choked back moan running a hand through his hair and

closing his eyes in sudden despair. He needed a cold shower and a beer, and a miracle.

* * *

 

            Trish was downstairs when Dante finally went in search of his beer, he made a despairing noise and nearly turned right back around again when she looked up and raised an eyebrow.

            “Boy he really keeps you busy huh?”

            “What?” Dante questioned, mouth dry, he hated being interrogated by her, it always made him feel like he’d done something wrong. Which he probably had, but that was beside the point.

            “I haven’t seen you in a day, but, well I’ve heard you quite a lot,” she said nonchalantly eyes fixing him with a reprimanding look. “I have to hand it to him; it takes a lot to make you scream.”

            “Can you please, for once, leave my love life to me?” Dante asked despairingly pinching the bridge of his nose to quell an oncoming head ache.

            “Well I would if you kept it to yourself,” Trish shot back, then her demeanor changed. “What do you plan on doing with him?”

            “I’m taking him back to Fortuna today,” Dante replied slumping onto the couch opposite her.

            “And you’re happy with that?”

            “Why wouldn’t I be?”

            “You don’t think his girlfriend will get wise to it?” Trish asked watching his expression intently. He could feel her eyes on him and it irritated him slightly.

            “Well you could always go over there and distract her for me,” Dante teased, grinning back at her. He wasn’t good at staying serious for long periods of time, besides who knew? It might work; it’d be hot and get Nero off the hook at the same time; perfect.

            Trish only rolled her eyes. “She doesn’t really seem like the type.”

            “Yeah, neither did Nero,” Dante replied, thinking once again of the boy, his perfect body succumbing to Dante’s touch, his voice playing out a melody of moans only for him. How was he supposed to let go of all that now that he knew such beauty existed behind that angry visage (which even before he had found somewhat adorable).

            “Are you sure you’re doing the right thing?” She’d gone into mother mode again. He liked that she cared, but the voice of reasoning was also irritating.

            “What else am I supposed to do?”

            “Maybe tell the truth for once?”

            “That’s the kid’s decision,” Dante answered. He wasn’t going to be that spiteful. Nero and Kyrie had something special, what did he and Nero have? A two day love affair full of arguing, often resolved by a full-blown fight or him fucking the boy so hard he couldn’t think of a coherent come back. Oh and then there was the torment Vergil had been putting Nero through the past few days. He couldn’t possibly expect the boy to live through anymore of it, and to be honest he didn’t want to remember anymore either.

            Trish read his mind, well as best she could with what little she knew. “This isn’t about Vergil is it? Nero mentioned him the other day, he sounded pretty pissed.”

            Dante sighed, leaned back until he was staring up at the ceiling fan spinning above his head and ran a hand through his hair. “This is all getting rather complicated.” Dante pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes and let out a muffled groan. He wasn’t any good at making decisions; he wished someone would just tell him what to do. “I think I heard him say he loves me this morning.”

            “What do you mean you think?” Trish asked narrowing her eyes at the man.

            “He was asleep, having a _dream_ ,” Dante put emphasis on the word to try and get the message across without actually explaining; he doubted Trish wanted the details. Okay well scratch that maybe she did, but he wasn’t planning on giving them to her either way.

            “Well hate to say I told you so-”

            “Then don’t,” Dante shot back, “I don’t need it.”

            He raised his head a little and cracked an eye open. Trish was grinning at him and it irritated him immensely. “What?” He snapped voice a little harder than he intended.

            “Since when did you care Dante?” Trish asked expression pensive. “All those people you’ve brought back to your bed who told you they love you. The ones you turn out onto the street the next morning without a second thought… Since when did you care if they love you or not?”

            Dante couldn’t think of an intelligent answer, he let out a sigh and continued to stare at the fan above him through parted fingertips. “There’s nothing different about him, I want to stay in his good books, but he’s worth no more to me than the whores I find on the street.”

            Trish’s face looked solemn, maybe slightly taken aback. “Well if that’s how you feel then taking him back to Fortuna shouldn’t be a problem.”

            “It won’t be,” Dante answered stubbornly. He pulled himself upright, rubbed the sleep from his eyes then stood. “I guess I’d best go wake him up then, it’s a long drive.”

* * *

 

            Nero woke in a panic sitting bolt upright before he could form a coherent thought, eyes wide. “Kyrie?”

            The room was quiet and a moment later Nero knew where he was, in Dante’s bedroom – in Dante’s bed. Thankfully the man wasn’t there to hear him, or see the state he was currently in. He groaned and dropped back into the sweaty sheets. His abdomen and the sheets around him were slicked with cum. He could probably pass it off as evidence of what had happened the night before, he could still feel cum dribbling from his ass…

            There was something wrong there, Nero wasn’t exactly an expert on the subject, but he was pretty sure it should have dried by now, so… What on earth had Dante been doing to him whilst he slept? He was both shocked and disgusted at the same time. He needed a shower. The one down the hall was out of use so he’d have to use the dingy ensuite adjoining Dante’s bedroom. He cringed at the idea; he doubted there’d be the same feminine touches in there as there were in the room down the hall.

            Nero grunted and pulled himself from the bed snatching the clothes Dante had given him earlier from the floor and taking them with him. He was stiff and sore as he walked with a slight limp to his normally confident stride. As suspected the room was a mess, but he ignored it for the sake of cleanliness, making sure that he scrubbed all over with soap simply to erase the scent of Dante from his skin. It didn’t help though when, after drying off with a clean towel, he donned Dante’s clothes. The material stank of the man and this time Nero loathed the sense of safety the smell gave him. He was surrounded by the material, the baggy jeans hanging precariously on his slim hips and the worn jumper shrouding his thinner frame. He couldn’t help pressing his hands – covered mostly by the cuffs of the sweatshirt – to his nose and inhaling before leaving the room and making his way to the top of the stairs. He was about to make his presence known when he stopped dead in his tracks, hearing something which made his heart seize in his chest.

            _“He’s worth no more to me than the whores I find on the street.”_

            The boy swallowed and took a step back. His usual self would have stormed into the room and said something harsh and stupid. But he didn’t feel like himself at all today, in fact he hadn’t felt like himself all the time he’d been here. Instead he took a step back and let a soft gasp slip from his lips, his pride and something else stung. He’d been right the whole time, Dante was using him. He’d been played a fool, persuaded by soft words and small shows of affection, petty rewards for being a good boy and letting Dante have his way with him.

            He pressed a hand to his mouth; this time to stifle whatever wanted to slip out and inhaled that damnable scent again. Nero didn’t know what to do, he wasn’t pathetic enough to 

cry and he wasn’t stupid enough to feel cheated. He should have known all along that the man was only playing with him. But he wasn’t in love so he couldn’t be hurt, the dream meant nothing, the strange pain in his chest was meaningless. It was simply anger and indignation at being used and letting himself be used so easily. Nothing more, because he’d been a whore to the man the past few days and he’d believed that maybe Dante respected him that little bit more than your average hooker. Well apparently not.

            “Oh kid there you are, we’ve got to get going soon yeah?”

            Nero’s head snapped round to the man, for a moment he didn’t know what to say then his mind settled into an eerie calm. He choked back all emotion and nodded quickly, turning away to collect his things from the room he’d been staying in.

            He had half expected Dante to stop him, he was good at hiding his emotions, but he hadn’t been fast enough when the initial surprise caught him off guard. The man’s hand caught his wrist. “Hey are you alright?”

            “Yeah fine,” Nero turned back to the hunter, his face a mask of impassiveness. “Bad dream.”

            Dante smirked and let go, folding his arms across his chest. “Didn’t sound too bad to me.”

            Nero’s face flushed with both anger and embarrassment. “I knew it had something to do with you.”

            “Hey,” Dante held his hands up in mock surrender, “I did nothing. You are not placing the blame with me again.”

            Nero growled he wanted to blame Dante because he at least knew that the man had got off on it and didn’t quite know how to go about working that into an insult. “You could have woken me up.”

            “And what good would that have achieved? I’d still be blamed for it all wouldn’t I? Besides,” he grinned and leaned in closer, resting his palm on the wall above the kid’s head and lowering his own to look the boy in the eye. “You got me a little riled up too kid.”

            Nero’s eye twitched and he turned his head to one side folding his arms across his chest. He stared fixedly down the corridor, deliberately ignoring the attention Dante was giving him. “It’s over now Dante,” Nero said, voice sullen. “Last night was the last time.”

            “Actually I think you’ll find the last time was this morning,” Dante said with a wolfish grin.

            The corner of Nero’s mouth began to quirk into a grin then slackened as a strange mixture of anger and humiliation rose in his gut. “Stay away from me,” he turned back to look Dante straight in the eye with his own blazing blue ones. “Just, stop it, I can’t take this anymore.” He moved forwards to get around Dante and back towards his room. Nero was slightly surprised when Dante backed off and let him pass; maybe it was the vehemence in his voice. “You just leave me alone, I’ll get my stuff and we can go, you don’t have to talk to me, in fact I prefer it that way.”

            Dante stared at Nero dumbly then gave a noncommittal grunt and turned away. “As you wish.”

* * *

 

            Nero returned downstairs ten minutes later, lugging his suitcase with him. He’d changed into a pair of his own jeans and a t-shirt; Dante’s borrowed clothes were balled in his fist and the first thing he did when he saw the man was to throw the garments at him.

            “You mares well have those back,” the boy said with more spite than he intended as he passed the hunter.

            Dante’s sharp reflexes aided him in evading the attack then he caught Nero’s demonic arm, halting the boy in his tracks. “What’s with all this anger all of a sudden?”

            “Just take me home,” Nero growled turning to stare Dante full in the face. He didn’t even want to have to ask Dante to take him. He should just walk out and take a cab, but he didn’t feel done he wasn’t satisfied that Dante has suffered enough. Nero had completely forgotten Trish who was sitting on the beaten up red leather couch looking slightly stunned at the sudden outburst.

            “Are you gonna calm down first?” Dante questioned, meeting Nero’s ferocious gaze with his own unwavering one. “Or do I have to help you cool off again?”

            Nero tried to yank his arm free, but the man wouldn’t budge. “Let me go.”

            “Why don’t you make me?” Dante teased with a cocky grin.

            Nero swung at his smug face with his human arm and Dante dodged back, his hold on the boy dragging him forwards. Nero threw another blow towards the man and then another until Dante hit the desk and Nero fell on top of him. Before he knew what was happening Dante had rolled them over, pinning Nero on his back against the sharp edge.

            “Calm yet?” Dante hissed in the boy’s ear and Nero felt revulsion run down his spine.

            “Get off,” Nero spat, he squirmed against the man’s hold then remembered the last time they’d been in this situation and thought better of it. It was hard though, there was still some part of him that wanted to jump Dante’s bones and another that wanted tear him limb from limb.

            “What’s going on here kid?” Dante asked softly, so that Trish couldn’t hear. He kept his grip firm on Nero’s devil bringer and his free hand rested on the desk. He was trying not to touch the boy or give in to the thoughts running through his mind. He didn’t want to prove Trish right, he wasn’t going to come off as the bad guy here and he was getting bloody annoyed with Nero’s mood swings. “You were enjoying all this last night.”

            Nero’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, well now it’s the morning so <i> _get off </i>_.”

            Dante gritted his teeth and stared into the boys eyes. They were a deeper shade of blue than his own; a rich sapphire which, upon closer inspection, held something beyond the normal deep-set anger Nero had at everything. He’d never seen the boy look calm – actually that was a lie, he had; when he was with Kyrie. Those eyes only ever looked at him with lust or loathing, nothing more, two shallow emotions Dante had become used to being on the receiving end of.

            It was harder than he had thought to break his gaze with the boy. The tension caught in the air between them was thick and heavy, but he found the strength somewhere to let go and turn away. A muscle in his jaw jumped as he strode towards Nero’s suitcase and picked it up, painfully aware of Trish watching him. He knew he wasn’t in control of the situation and he didn’t like other people knowing that. Despite his ability to tame the kid in those brief moments of lust by the time it had worn off his hold over Nero weakened. And besides was that what he wanted? A love-sick puppy which listened to his every word? Of course not, it was why most of the people he brought back to his bed were turned out the next morning. Too ready to please, so submissive and lacking that fire the boy possessed. Even if Nero’s changeable attitude made Dante wonder who was using who he’d still welcome the boy back into his bed. Maybe it was that masochism playing up again.

            Nero’s face was the picture of confusion and rather than being relieved that the man had moved away he was angry. He had wanted a fight, something to make Dante pay for humiliating him like this, to make him regret it all… And now he had the gall to just walk away as if nothing had happened. He straightened up and watched Dante curiously. He wasn’t about to start a fight in front of Trish even though he desperately wanted to. He wanted to beat Dante senseless.

            “Come on then kid it’s a long drive,” Dante said keeping his tone indifferent as he lifted the boy’s case and walked to the door not looking back to see if Nero was following.

            Nero hesitated, glanced briefly at Trish who gave him a soft smile. He nodded his head, raised his human hand in a form of farewell then hurried after Dante not at all sure how he’d survive the uncomfortable trip back to Fortuna.

* * *

 

            The final part of the journey to the city was by boat – ferry actually – it was strange really that the only thing which separated the somewhat mystical Fortuna from the rest of the world was a couple of miles of water. Sure it was enough and the boat wasn’t exactly regular, but the place seemed like it belonged in its own little world. Most people looked upon it as unholy cultist island – they worshipped a devil after all – but seeing as the people of Fortuna kept to themselves not many knew of its existence to begin with.

            As soon as Dante slid the convertible into park Nero had opened the car door and left, slamming it behind him as he stalked off to the other end of the boat. The drive hadn’t been at all comfortable. Dante had tried to cajole the boy into conversation and Nero had, surprisingly, not taken the bait. The only time Nero even acknowledged him was when Dante tried to touch the kid’s face. It didn’t go too well, and Dante should have known it wouldn’t. Nero had personal space issues to begin with. Still Dante didn’t know what had caused this bout of foul temperedness. It also seemed to be worse than it had been any other time. Maybe Nero was only just realizing he was going to have to face the music…

            Dante decided that this was his chance to finally talk to Nero – and not be worried that he’d run over pedestrians in the process. The journey was just over an hour and it gave them plenty of time to sort out their feelings. Not that Dante really wanted to do anything about his own problems. He left the car, making sure to lock it behind him – he’d rolled the roof down before they left as the weather hadn’t been looking so good.

            It was even worse away from the mainland; the sky was a dull grey and the sea a similar colour until it was almost impossible to find the line where the two blended together. They were nearly completely alone on the ferry. People who lived in Fortuna stayed in Fortuna and those on the outside really had no business there. Dante sighed and ran a hand through his hair feeling the threat of rain as moisture hung thick in the air. The smell of salt assaulted his nostrils as he moved to the prow of the ship searching for the kid.

            He found Nero leaning against the railing with his eyes closed as his face pointed into the wind. The breeze curled in Nero’s hair dragging the angelic white locks back from his face. Dante smiled slightly at the sling and glove Nero had insisted upon wearing. That was another time they had spoken briefly. Despite Nero’s sometimes overly-confident attitude the kid was still self-conscious about his arm when around people. Dante understood, people gave him enough stick about his hair at least he didn’t have something which glaringly declared him to be inhuman. He still found it cute though, how angry Nero had become when he tried to take it off him, trying to tell the kid that the clawed hand was just one of those things which made him special. Nero wasn’t having any of it though.

            “Take a picture it’ll last longer,” Nero growled never once even looking at Dante though his eyes had finally opened.

            “Forgot my camera,” Dante replied casually lounging with his back to the railing as he watched Nero’s face intently. “Besides, there’s something about you which can’t be reflected in a photograph.”

            “Just leave it,” the boy hissed staring down into the grey depths as the boat drove through the water, throwing up foam and spray. “I wanted to be alone.”

            “You haven’t spoken to me properly all day,” Dante said his tone suddenly serious.

            “Its better this way,” Nero replied as though to assure himself that what he was doing was the right thing. “It was stupid, the whole thing was stupid. Forget it ever happened.”

            Dante smirked. “You know I wish I could. Now I know what you’re like underneath all that I’m going to miss it.”

            Finally Nero turned to him, even if it was only to fix him with a glare. “What do you mean ‘underneath all that’? All that what?”

            “This,” Dante cast his eyes around the grey sky. Somehow it seemed to fit the mood perfectly. “What, acting like you don’t care? That you’re so tough, that none of this,” he took a step forwards and cupped the boy’s cheek in his hand. “None of this means anything to you?”

            Nero let his eyes close slowly as a mixture of emotions knotted in the back of his throat. He wanted so badly to give into that touch, to let Dante do as he pleased just for that safe feeling he had when he was in the man’s arms. But then there was the guilt, the way he’d betrayed Kyrie. Maybe that wasn’t enough to stop him and he knew it should have been. Instead it was humiliation which made him falter. The feeling quickly turned to revulsion and disgust at both the other man and himself. Dante was just using him and he was worried that he might give in, that he wanted to be used if it meant holding onto Dante.

            He let a shaky breath slip past his lips. “Why are you doing this to me?”

            Dante stopped in his assault, the pad of his thumb lightly stroking over the creamy skin of Nero’s cheek. “Doing what?”

            “Toying with me like this…” Nero’s eyes opened to stare at him, but this time there was something so fragile and hurt in their depths. “Do you hate me that much?”

            “Nero-”

            “No,” Nero whispered with vehemence knocking the man’s hand away. “I’ve been a fool it doesn’t matter now I know what I have to do.”

            Dante was watching with unmasked surprise taken aback by the boy’s words. He was even more shocked when Nero leaned in and brushed his full lips across Dante’s own in a chaste kiss.

            “Goodbye Dante,” he took a step back, shook his head when the man tried to speak. “That’s all I have left to say.”

* * *

 

            Dante stared blankly at his room, the clothes strewn haphazardly across the floor. Nero had left his boots, well a pair of boots. Maybe it was a sign he should go back to him, like Cinderella and her slipper right? Only life never really turned out like a fairytale. Sighing he rested against the doorjamb. The place needed cleaning, he needed to remove everything which reminded him of the boy, but he was so afraid of loosing the last traces of him that he had. For once Dante had the small amount of courage to admit to himself that it actually hurt to say goodbye and he was afraid of forgetting what Nero was like. He didn’t have a picture of the kid and he didn’t like this sudden sappy train of thought.

            Nero had left him with those final words, like he said he would. Gone back to Kyrie four days ago leaving Dante in a sudden depression he had no clue how to cure. He knew he’d had so much more he wanted to say to the boy and he also knew Nero didn’t want to hear it. He just didn’t quite know what he felt or how to articulate it, but something needed to be done.

            The phone ringing was a welcome distraction from his brooding. Maybe killing a couple of demons would help work off this stress he found himself under. He turned on his heel and made his way downstairs taking the handset from the cradle and putting the phone to his ear.

            “Devil May Cry…”

            “Dante?” The voice was quiet and timid; he knew it was Kyrie even though he’d never really heard the girl speak.

            “Yeah, Kyrie is it?” he asked working hard to keep his voice nonchalant. Kyrie didn’t sound angry, but why else would she be calling? Unless it was about Nero’s missing boots…

            “Yes,” the girl replied her voice so quiet Dante had to strain to hear it. “Um I’m not sure what to say really, but Nero’s…” The sudden pause made Dante want to scream. Nero had what? Told her? Jumped off a cliff? Either way he needed to know. “He’s…” Then he heard her voice crack and his mind jumped to the worst. She took a calming breath and continued. “He disappeared a couple of nights ago… and… he was found in an alley this morning. H-he’s out cold, and t-there was so much blood…”

            Dante’s heart skipped a beat. Worry flooded through him and his grip on the receiver tightened. “Why are you calling me about it?”

            Kyrie paused. “I-I wouldn’t normally, but… he keeps asking for you – in his sleep I mean – it’s the only thing he’s said.”

            Dante nodded silently then remembered she couldn’t see and caught the emotion trying to escape into his voice. “I’ll be there soon.” He dropped down into his chair, resting the receiver back on the hook numbly. Nero was hurt and somehow Dante knew it was his fault. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair trying to clear his head. He had the sense to write Trish a note before he left and then he was gone.


End file.
